Breaking Free
by Synea K
Summary: Syaoran has been living a pretty comfortable life until a girl he met during a Spring Break road trip shows up on his door step a week later, turning his comfortable world upside down. SxS/ExT
1. Loosening The Chains

**Disclaimer**

**I do not own any of these characters - CLAMP has that right. [I do own this plot though^_^]**

**AN: I hope you enjoy this story! It just sorta came to me today. Happy reading!**

**-Synea K.**

* * *

><p><em><span>Summary:<span>_

_Syaoran has been living a pretty comfortable life. Until a girl he meets during a spontaneous Spring Break road trip shows up on his door step a week later, turning his comfortable world upside down._

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 1: Loosening The Chains<strong>

His amber orbs fluttered shut and the pace at which he flipped through the channels slowed. It had been a long week and he was looking forward to the weekend. _'_Another dull weekend… '

he blinked repeatedly in an attempt to stay awake. This entire week had seemed dull. His eyes slid shut and he drifted into a dream.

"_Syaoran" her voice spoke in a soft whisper_

"_hmm?" He opened his eyes and was met with a pair of dazzling emeralds accompanied by a bright smile._

_In the short amount of time he'd been exposed to It, he'd become very fond of that smile._

"_5 more minutes?" he mumbled, his eyes closing once more._

_Her response was a quiet giggle. He felt the bed shift beneath him as she got up._

"_5 minutes won't stop time. No matter how long you stay in bed, tomorrow morning it's back to the real world" a sad sigh escaped her._

He awoke abruptly to the sound of the remote hitting the wooden floor. The TV screen in front of him shown bright blue. He retrieved the remote and turned it off, swinging his legs off the couch. The floor was cold beneath his feet as he stood to turn off the lamp in his quiet living room.

'Had life always been so quiet?' He thought to himself as he made his way to the single bedroom in the apartment. As if to oppose his thoughts there was a loud clap of thunder and the heavens rained down on his silent evening. Syaoran passed by his dresser mirror catching a glimpse of himself. His unruly chestnut hair was the same as it'd always been and he hadn't grown any taller.

'Nothing's really changed about me…but I feel so different'.

"_Ya know, you don't seem so bad" Her legs swung back and forth from the end of the dock in a child-like manner._

_Syaoran averted his gaze from his reflection to look at her._

"_Everyone's got a little excitement in them—they just need the right moments to bring it out!" she continued, her emerald eyes seemed to sparkle even more between the declining sun and the reflected water below._

_They sat in silence before he stood from beside her and jogged towards the entrance of the pier._

"_Where are you going?" she shouted_

_Turning from where he stopped he flashed a boyish grin._

_Realization dawned on her as he ran at full speed back towards the end of the dock, tugging his shirt off over his head._

"_Syaoran, it's like 60 degrees!" she warned._

_Her words were inaudible as he leapt from the pier."Bonzai!"_

_A moment later there was a muffled scream and a subsequent splash as he emerged on the surface of the water. She emerged a moment later, catching her breath between her laughter._

"_Bonzai?" she questioned, her eyebrows raised._

"_Better than screaming like a little girl" he said in between gulps of air. She was right, the water was freezing._

"_Hey! I am a girl but I'm not little" she exclaimed with emphasis on 'not'. She sent a barrage of splashes in his direction._

_He dove under water, coming up just under her so that she sat upon his shoulders. She let out a yelp as he tilted her backwards sending her crashing back into the water._

"_Syaoran! You're gonna get it now!" she sputtered, reemerging on the surface and swimming towards him. They continued to splash their way back to the shore, laughter piercing the quiet afternoon._

There was a slam of a car door outside as he was brought back from his reverie. He ignored this and smiled to himself. 'That was the first night…with her' he sighed inwardly.

His thoughts were interrupted by a small knocking sound. He turned back to his open bedroom door that led into the dark living room. The clock on the nightstand showed the numbers 12:31am in bright neon.

The rain was coming down even harder now.

"Probably just the stor—" his words were cut off by an even louder knock. He slowly made his way into the living room, switching on the single lamp.

He stood hesitantly a few feet away. "Who is it?" he shouted through the wood.

There was silence as he reached for the doorknob.

"Hell-"

"Syaoran? Is that you?" a voice questioned from the other side.

His eyes widened and his outreached hand paused just above the knob. 'That voice…'

"Hey, are you there?" the voice questioned again.

He fumbled with the 2 locks, a surge of emotion within him.

Flinging the door open he was greeted by the very same emerald green eyes that he'd been seeing in his thoughts all week.

The girls face lit up and her lips curved into a sheepish smile. Her auburn hair much like her clothes was plastered to her, drenched with water.

Syaoran stood frozen in the doorway, a look a disbelief on his face. "Sakura?" his voice was barely above a whisper.

"Hi there" she said nervously. She took a deep breath before continuing, "You said if I ever needed a place to stay—no matter what— to find you." Her eyes shifted to the floor and she folded her arms across her chest in an attempt to stay warm

"So, here I am." she finished. There was a moment of silence between the two, his eyes glued to hers and her's to the floor."Expect the unexpected, right?" she spoke softly.

In an automatic response Syaoran's arms reached out , pulling her into a warm but soggy embrace.

"I can't believe you're here" he said into her damp hair.

It was then that he noticed the 3 suitcases that sat behind her.

'Guess this won't be a dull weekend after all'

* * *

><p><em><strong>Two weeks earlier…<strong>_

* * *

><p><em>Are you sure you'll be able to make it?<em>

"Yeah, definitely." Syaoran spoke into the receiver. He continued unlocking his bike from the rack.

_You mean your parole officer actually gave you permission?_

Syaoran rolled his eyes. "Don't call her that. And no, I haven't told her yet"

_She has your life planned out to the second. I bet you even have to tell her when you're going to use the restroom too._

The voice on the other end of the line chuckled.

"I do not" Syaoran retorted with a piercing glare despite the receiver not being able to see it.

"You don't what?" a voice spoke from behind him. Syaoran turned around to meet the curious gaze of a young girl. Her raven hair was wrapped in two buns atop her head, the remaining hair dangled on both sides.

"h-hold on Eriol" he placed his hand over the receiver.

"It's nothin', Meiling. Give me a sec" he whispered to the girl. "Hey Eriol, I'll give you a call a little later so we can talk it over."

_Should I schedule in a time now? _the voice laughed

Syaoran shook his head and chuckled. "Whatever. I'll call you around 6, ok?"

_Sounds good to me. Later._

Syaoran ended the call and slipped his phone into his pocket. He finished unlocking his bike and turned back to the girl that accompanied him.

"So how is your dear cousin?" Meiling asked indifferently.

"Same ol', Eriol" Syaoran smirked. "He invited me to stay with him during Spring Break next week.

"But Syaoran! I've already told your sisters that we'd visit them. It's been a while since I've seen them"

He sighed. "That's perfectly fine, Meiling but I'm going to spend some time with my cousin. I'm sure the 5 of you will have a great time together"

"But-"

"No buts, Meiling." He said sternly.

Her lips curved into a frown.

He placed a comforting arm around her shoulder "Hey now, don't be that way. It's only one week"

"hmph. We'll talk about it later" shrugging him off she made a move to leave.

Syaoran grabbed her arm and brought her back to him, encasing her in a hug.

"Have a good day, ok?" he said softly.

She was taken by surprise by his sudden compassion. "I'll try." She smiled meekly and was released from his bear hug.

"My place for dinner tonight. 7:00, k?" she said while skipping away without looking back.

"Sounds like a plan!" he shouted, mounting his bike he began riding off in the opposite direction.

* * *

><p>Syaoran placed his keys upon the side table next to his front door and removed his shoes.<p>

"What a day, what a day" he said aloud to himself, reaching into a stretch. He turned on his television and made his way into the kitchen. There was a buzz and a small chime from his back pocket and he retrieved his phone.

_I'm making pasta tonight! You can bring the rolls. See you soon! :) - Meiling_

'Spaghetti and rolls. What a surprise' he thought to himself.

He returned the phone to his pocket and turned back to the fridge, scanning the contents. Grabbing a carton of milk he made his way to the cabinet for a glass. His pocket vibrated and chimed once more.

_Meiling says you're not coming to visit us! You're so mean! -_- - Fuutie_

_'_Great, now my sisters are mad at me' he let out a frustrated growl and set his phone to silent before shoving it back into his pocket.

He finished his task of pouring milk into his glass and returned the milk to the fridge. Before leaving the kitchen he grabbed a handful of chocolate chip cookies from the canister on the counter and walked over to the couch.

Dipping the cookies into the milk with one hand he flipped through the channels with the other.  
>"There's never anything good on" he murmured. With a defeated sigh he turned the television off, leaving him in complete silence. He glanced at the clock, it was nearly 6:00 so he figured he'd give his cousin a call back. The phone rang once before he picked up.<p>

_Eriol, here_

"Hey, it's me again."

_Oh hey, you escaped your captor?_ he joked

"Whatever. She's really not as bad as you make her seem."

_Yeah? Is that why I've received 5 angry text messages from her and your sisters_

Syaoran couldn't help but laugh. "Yeah, I guess you're right. Sorry about that."

_It's fine. I'm not bothered by them in the least bit. You on the other hand...need to grow a backbone._

Syaoran nearly choked on his milk at his cousins bluntness.

"And just what do you mean by that?" Syaoran could feel his temper rising. As much as he loved his cousin, he still managed to find ways to irk him every time they talked.

_I don't want to sound rude, Syaoran. _There was a pause before he continued

_Meiling isn't even your girlfriend and she has you wrapped around her finger. There's a thin line between being a good and helpful friend and being controlled and manipulated._

Syaoran clenched his fist "That's not true. You know what the situation is, Eri-"

_So she had a bad break up and you were there to help her pick up the pieces. But that shouldn't give her the power to control your every movement. It's been a year_

"It's more than that! And she doesn't control my eve-"

_She probably scares away any girl that's even interested in you before they even have a chance to blink twice in your direction. When's the last time you had a date anyways?_

Syaoran couldn't believe what his cousin was saying and as much as he wanted to disagree with him and deny all of his accusations, he was right.

"Alright, alright, I get your point." Syaoran chimed in. "You're so brutally honest, Eriol. I don't know how your girlfriend deals with you."

Eriol laughed_. She may seem quiet and reserved but she can really hold her own. Trust me._

Syaoran placed his empty cup into the sink rinsing it out with water. "So what's the plan for next week" he inquired, changing the subject.

_Well I thought we could figure out something more once you got here. Tomoyo is bringing her cousin along too so the 4 of us can work something out._

"Sounds good to me" Syaoran replied.

_Good. You should probably try getting here by Sunday afternoon. I was thinking we could have a bonfire down by the lake to start off the week._

Syaoran opened the fridge and searched for the dinner rolls. "Should I bring anything to help out?"

_Nothing that I can think of right now but I'll let you know by Saturday_

"Ok, just keep me posted. I've gotta head over to Meiling's now. She's makin' dinner"

_Let me guess, Spaghetti and rolls?_

He put the rolls in a plastic bag and made his way to the door. "Yeah, she's not much of a cook. But hey, food is food and as long as I don't have to make it, I'm fine with anything"

_I guess that's true. Well, enjoy your night. Tell your keeper I said hello_

"Yeah, you too" Syaoran ended the call, ignoring his cousin's last remark. He turned off the tv and flipped off the switch for the lamp.

His phone lit up just as he was about to put it back in his pocket.

_Where are you? Dinner's almost ready! – Meiling_

He paused in the door frame.

…_that shouldn't give her the power to control your every movement. _Eriol's words rang through his head. He would really have to talk to Meiling about that tonight. He stepped out into the cool night and locked the door behind him. 'I'm sure she'll understand'


	2. Losing Grip

**Disclaimer**

**I do not own any of these characters - CLAMP has that right. [I do own this plot though^_^]**

**AN: Thank you for the reviews! I was so excited about them, I decided to finish this chapter as soon as I could. Hope you enjoy!**

**-Synea K.**

* * *

><p><em><span>Summary:<span>_

_Syaoran has been living a pretty comfortable life. Until a girl he meets during a spontaneous Spring Break road trip shows up on his door step a week later, turning his comfortable world upside down._

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 2: Losing Grip<strong>

'He's running late' The raven haired girl peered through the blinds of her living room window and then returned to sit in the recliner, a disappointed frown upon her face. She glanced back down to her cell phone at her empty inbox. It was now 7:10 and she'd last texted him 5 minutes ago asking where he was. 'I don't want to rush him any more than I have…but the pasta's getting cold' she thought, looking back at the food she'd already set out on the kitchen counter. This situation seemed all too familiar to her and her eyes welled up

_She looked to the clock on the wall. It was already 30 minutes past 8. _

"_where could he be" she said aloud. Meilin walked over to the window and looked through the open blinds. There was no sign of anyone on the street below. Her spirits rose when she spotted a set of headlights approaching but was quickly let down when the car continued on past her apartment. _

_She looked back at the dining room set up near the kitchen. The wax from the two candles set in the middle of the table steadily dripped onto the small, circular stands that held them. The food would have to be warmed up again if he took any longer. 'Maybe Emi knows where he is.' She pulled out her cell phone and dialed her friend's number only to receive her voicemail. "Hey, Emi, it's Meilin. I was calling to see if you've talked to Ryo at all. I know you guys had class together today. Just, give me a call back if you hear from him, k? I'll probably drop by in a few. Thanks" Meilin hung up the phone with a sigh. 'Maybe she can keep me company until he gets here or something. I mean, I'm right downstairs if he finally decides to come and I can see if his car pulls up from her window' She grabbed her keys and headed downstairs to where her best friend, Emi, lived. The two girls had met one day through Meilin's boyfriend Ryo and had become almost inseparable. It was a coincidence that they'd actually lived one floor apart from each other. As she made her way down the stairs she'd decided to give Ryo another call. Standing outside Emi's apartment she listened as the phone rang into her ear and an unmistakable tone caught her attention. She quickly ended the call and the tone subsided. 'Maybe it was just a coincidence'. Her attempts at reassuring herself failed miserably as she heard muffled voices from inside the apartment. _

"_She just called me again. I really have to go"_

"_Yeah, she left me a voicemail too" _

"_I'm already 30 minutes late. She's gonna ask so many questions" the male voice sounded nervous_

"_It's not fair, Ryo. I'm always getting kicked to the side while you run off with her' said the female_

_Meilin flinched. There was an iciness in the way her 'friend' said the word 'her'. _

'_You know it's not like that Ems, I just…I'll talk to her tonight.'_

'_Will you really, Ryo?' Their voices grew louder as they neared the door._

_Meilin's thoughts were frantic and she was unable to move. The lock on the other side clicked and the door creaked open. _

'_Yeah babe, you know I love-' Ryo froze, out the corner of his eye he noticed a figure. He didn't have to turn his head to know that the girl standing outside was his girlfriend._

"_Babe what's wrong?" Emi came into the door frame and let out a gasp. "Meilin' I…We…"_

_Meilin's head began to spin. Her vision blurred, no doubt from the continuous stream of tears that cascaded down her face. _

_She felt an overflowing emotion within her. Her heart beat rapidly and her breaths came in short gasps. _

"_How could you?" her voice was barely above a whisper._

"_Meilin, listen" Ryo's outreached hand quickly retracted. There was nothing he could say to her. She'd heard everything. _

_Meilin felt a surge ofemotion swell inside her chest as she choked out more tears. She looked past Ryo and into the worried eyes of Emi with a sudden wave of anger. _

"_How could you do this, Emi?" she yelled. "You were my best friend" her voice nearly failed her_

"_Calm down, Meilin. We can talk about this insi—"There was a deafening clap as Meilin's fist collided with the side of his jaw. His legs were placed off balance from the force of her unexpected hit. _

"_Ryo!" Emi shrieked as she helped the confused Ryo stay on his feet. "Meilin!" _

_Meilin was already half way up the stairs when Emi called her name. She raced into her apartment, swiftly locking the door behind her. Her hands were shaking as she closed the blinds and she collapsed onto the couch beneath her. Her body shook with emotion from the sobs that engulfed her and she found herself gasping for air. _

_Drowning out the pleading cries from Emi to open the door and ignoring the throbbing pain in her right hand, she focused on simply breathing. This simple reflexive task seemed so difficult to her right now. Despite the light emitting from her candle lit dinner, the entire room seemed dark and cold. _

A steady rapping on the door brought Meilin back from reliving her nightmare. She caught herself from tearing up and peaked through the blinds, seeing Syaoran waiting in front of the door.

She took a few deep breaths to compose herself. Quickly glancing at her reflection in the mirror next to the door she patted at her eyes with her shirt sleeve but her eyes still remained red and she still had a slight sniffle. She smiled weakly and concluded that there wasn't much else she could do to make herself look cheerful.

"Meilin' I'm sorry I'm late!" Syaoran yelled through the door. Her hand hovered just above the handle. "I promise I have a great excuse. And..it's really cold out here and I'm sure the foods getting cold so open up!"

Meilin' giggled at her friends pleading and swung the door open "All is forgiven!"

Instead of being met by his amber eyes she was surprised to see a bouquet of flowers. Syaoran peaked his head around the bundle in his hand and grinned. Her surprised eyes softened and she took the flowers from him, stepping to the side to let him enter.

"You really didn't need to bring me flowers" she began, taking in the flowers sweet aroma. "But thank you".

"Ah, don't worry about it" he said with a wave of his hand. Before he could finish removing his coat he was enwrapped in an embrace. He was alarmed at first but lowered his arms to complete the hug. She snuggled closer into his chest and he laughed. Her eyes gleamed up at him, full of joy. She stared up at him, wide-eyed like a child in a toy store. "Really, Syaoran" she raised her face closer to his,. His breath caught in his chest. "Thank you" she whispered into his ear before planting a kiss on his cheek. Syaoran, still in a state of shock finally shook himself out of his thoughts. 'What's gotten into her?' he questioned himself.

"Alright, Meilin. Let me put the rolls in the oven so we can start eating."

"Is that all you care about?" She asked, playfully punching him in the chest.

"Ouch, Meilin. Some arm you've got there" he feigned pain from her short blow.

"Oh, I can really lay one on you if you want me to, Syaoran!" she raised her arm and formed a muscle.

"No need for that, now" he said in defense while backing into the kitchen.

"I thought so! You're not so tough after all"

'That's the Meilin I know' He laughed at her display of confidence and began setting up the rolls on the baking tray.

A comfortable silence lapsed between them as he finished preparing the rolls and she looked for a vase to put the flowers in. She hummed quietly to herself as she located one from the cabinet under the sink and began filling it with water.

"Let me cut the stems for you" Syaoran offered, taking the flowers from her. They continued to both work in silence, lost in their own thoughts.

* * *

><p>Their laughter echoed throughout the entire apartment.<p>

"We were so dumb Sophomore year, weren't we?"

"Speak for yourself!" Meilin disagreed through her giggles.

They conjointly sighed, bringing forth another small fit of laughter. Syaoran stood from the couch, taking their now empty plates to the sink.

"Aw, you don't have to do the dishes" Meilin said, she turned her body to face him, resting her chin upon the back of the couch. "It's the least I can do" Syaoran explained as he began soaping up the plates. A momentary silence filled the room once again before either of them spoke

"So—" both of them began at the same time. "You first" Syaoran said with a smile and continued washing the 2nd plate.

"So I was thinking about Spring Break. It's not fair for me to try to get you to come with me for the entire time to see your sisters. I could just imagine how bored you'd be watching us shop!" she exclaimed. Syaoran shut the water off and looked intently at her. In the years that he'd known her, Meilin was never one to compromise or give up on her plans so easily.

"So, you can go visit Eriol,"

Syaoran's face lit up, "Really? I mean, I was probably going to end up going anyways but it's great to know that you're ok with it"

"I'm not finished. And you would've gone anyways? Yeah, right" she interrupted. His excitement level dropped  
>'I knew it sounded too good to be true'<p>

"You can go visit Eriol AFTER we go see your sisters. I figured we could spend Saturday through Tuesday with your sisters and then we could see Eriol Wednesday through Saturday. That way we can have Sunday to re-"

"Just stop it already, Meilin!" The words left his mouth, surprising even himself.

Meilin's eyes widened at his sudden outburst.

"Stop what? It's a perf-"

"Meilin. I'm going to spend time with Eriol for the entire break. You can go see my sisters by yourself" he continued while looking down at the sink.

"What's gotten into you Syaoran? Why are you being so mean?", she was determined to win this argument. She sat up and leaned onto the edge of the couch.

"I'm not, Meilin. You're just being to contr-"

"Did Eriol put you up to this? You know he's never really liked me" she cut him off again, rolling her eyes.

"Meilin' it's not Eri-" his temper elevated.

"You love spending time with your sisters. You haven't seen them in-"

"I'm not going with you, Meilin!" Syaoran finally shouted. His fists came down on the steal sink, rattling the dishes. She flinched at the intensity. He'd never raised his voice to her like this before. She looked back over in his direction, meeting his gaze but quickly turned away. She didn't want to seem defeated in front of him but her emotions betrayed her.

"We do everything together, Syaoran" her voice cracked, already betraying her sturdy façade. The tears spilled over onto the couch.

Syaoran dried his hands on the towel next to the dish rack and silently walked towards the front door.

"I'm sorry Meilin. I just…I need my space" Syaoran said reaching for the handle.

"Syaoran, I'm sorry" she whispered

"It's ok, Meilin. We'll talk about tomorrow"

"You don't have to leave"

"I'll be by tomorrow, ok?" He turned slightly to face her, his eyes kept to the floor.

Unable to say anymore, she nodded in compliance and he left.

The cold wind nipped at his exposed arms. He'd left his coat inside the apartment but he wasn't turning back to get it. He slipped his cell phone out of his pocket and dialed a number, reaching his car.

Meilin watched from her window as Syaoran made his way down the stairs. Not wanting to watch him leave, she sat back down on the couch, nervously playing with the ends of her hair. There was an uneasy silence as she listened to his car depart from the parking lot. She hadn't felt this alone since the Ryo incident a year ago. 'I can't lose him too' she thought to herself. She picked up her phone form the table, contemplating whether or not she should call him and apologize again. 'No, he needs his space' she put the phone back on the table and lay down on the couch, letting the tears run freely.

* * *

><p><em>Hello?<em>

"Eriol"

_Hey Syaoran what's—_

"Meilin and I just got into a fight" Syaoran drove slowly in the right lane of the road. He didn't want to chance letting his emotions get the best of him right now.

…_everything ok?_

"I dunno…she just. What you said really got to me and she just kept pushing me to go with her to see my sisters and" Syaoran stopped to control his anger

_Syaoran. You didn't do what I think you did…did you?_

"Yeah, I did"

There was a silence as it sounded like Eriol caught his breath.

_OK, listen. You can crash here for a couple of days before they find the body. It usually takes a few days before people start to notice. I can find ways to wire you some mone—_

"Eriol! What are you rambling about? We got into an argument about Spring Break"

Syaoran rolled his eyes at his cousins logic and there was a relieved chuckled of laughter on the other line.

_That's great to hear, Syaoran. You had me scared for a minute. _

Un-amused, Syaoran decided not to feed into his cousins twisted humor and continued to focus on driving.

_So, I take it you're probably not going to come then?_

"No…yes. I don't know, Eriol. I don't want to leave off on a bad note with her. I told her I needed some space and that I'd drop by tomorrow."

_Well I still stand by what I said earlier, Syaoran. She can't keep you locked up, forever. _

"I know. I'll figure out something before tomorrow. I'll call you then, okay?"

_Alright. Be strong, young Padawan. The force is strong with that one. _Eriol's laughter was refreshing to hear. The air seemed less dense and Syaoran even cracked a smile "You're such a nerd. I'll talk to you later" he hung up the phone before his cousin had another chance to respond.

* * *

><p>"Who was that?"<p>

"It was Syaoran. Apparently he and Meilin got into a fight about spending Spring Break with us"

Eriol turned his chair around to face his girlfriend. Her dark locks fell elegantly in waves against her petite frame and her eyes were colored with a hint of gray that complemented her porcelain complexion.

"I'm sorry to hear that" she said softly, slipping her arms around his shoulders as he turned his chair back around to face his computer.

"It's about time they had an argument, don't you think" he smirked.

She nodded in agreement, standing from her embrace. "No offense Eriol but your cousin seems to be a little bit of a push over when it comes to her."

"It's funny. He never used to be that way. There was a point where I would simply stop arguing with him because I feared for his health" he laughed.

"But still, he seems to lack the passion and the animation he once had. There's no more excitement when I talk to him now. I purposely say things I know will piss him off and he just brushes it away. He's always so careful about what he says or does, especially when she's around."

Tomoyo gave a clever laugh, "I'm telling you. One day with my cousin and he'll be a changed man"

"Oh yeah? Wanna bet?" Eriol raised his eyebrows and reached out his hand.

"You're on" she replied with a firm handshake.


	3. Possibilities

**Disclaimer**

**I do not own any of the CCS characters - CLAMP has that right. [I do own this plot and a couple original peeps though^_^]**

**AN: Thank You so much for the reviews and the story alerts & just for reading! This chapters a little longer than the other 2. I hope you enjoy!**

**-Synea K.**

* * *

><p><em><span>Summary:<span>_

_Syaoran has been living a pretty comfortable life. Until a girl he meets during a spontaneous Spring Break road trip shows up on his door step a week later, turning his comfortable world upside down._

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 3: Possibilities <strong>

He let out an irritable groan and rolled over onto this stomach, covering his head with a pillow in an attempt to escape the incessant buzzing. The annoying hum subsided with one final drone and a small chime, indicating that he'd received yet another message. He took note of this and mentally tallied the number of times this had occurred in the last 2 hours. He was now at 5. Through his pillow fortress he was able to make out the glowing 10:00am from the alarm clock on his nightstand and let out another frustrated grunt. 'How is it that even on my day off I still can't manage to sleep in 'til an unreasonable hour'. Syaoran had set his schedule so that he wouldn't have to take classes or work on Fridays but apparently that schedule didn't apply to receiving phone calls during the early morning hours. At least what he considered to be early morning o for Friday's. No sooner after closing his eyes did the pulsing buzz of his phone begin again. He made an angry grab for the device and glared at the screen before answering the call.

"Yes?" he growled.

_Now, now. Just because you had a horrible night doesn't mean you can take it out on someone else._

"What do you want, Eriol?" Syaoran made no effort to disguise his annoyance.

"_You think you'd be able to be here by tomorrow? We're probably going to leave for Tomoyo's family lake house tomorrow night. It'll be easier for her cousin to just meet us there on Sunday" _

"Sure. I'll leave here tomorrow morning. Is that all?" Syaoran responded quickly. He wanted to end the conversation as fast as possible. _"Yeah, that's it"_. Syaoran made a move to end the call _"Oh, and Syaoran" _He brought the phone back up to his ear. "Yes, Eriol" his patience for his cousin really was waning.

"_Leave your grumpy pants at home, ok?"_ Syaoran ended the call, cutting off his cousins laughter. He stopped himself from tossing his phone across the room, remembering he still had unanswered messages.

Starting with the voicemails, he quickly eliminated the 4 messages that were from 2 of his older sisters claiming he no longer loved them since he'd chosen to see Eriol for spring break instead. The final message was from Meilin, reminding him that he'd left his jacket and asking when he'd be by to pick it up.

He started to respond but decided he'd get to it later, unsure of what time he'd be by or what he'd say to her. Maybe he'd been too harsh last night and let his emotions get the better of him. He let out a sigh and lay back down on his bed. Either way he'd have to talk to her about her overbearing tendencies before he left on his trip. He looked at the phone in his hand and quickly dialed a number. He knew the perfect person that would be able to help him with what to say.

_Hello?_ A voice spoke after the first ring.

"H-hello. Good morning" he responded, surprised by the swift answer.

"_Good morning to you too. To what do I owe this pleasure? I almost didn't recognize your number" _there was a slight hint of sarcasm in her tone. Just a _slight_ hint.

"I know, I know. I'm sorry about that Mother. Things have just been really busy with classes and work" he trailed off.

"_It's ok, Syaoran. Better busy than anything less. You've been causing quite an uproar over here. The girls are in a rage over your decision to not come home for your break."_

Syaoran cringed at the thought of the terror his sisters must be causing. "I know, I'm sorry about that. It's why I called. Well, sort of." Syaoran stumbled over his words. "Is Feimei around? I wanted to ask her a question"

"_Let me go find her. I hope it won't be another month before I hear from you again?" _she asked inquisitively.

"Of course not, mother" he replied curtly

"_Good. Take care, Syaoran."_ The phone when silent and Syaoran waited for his sister to come on the line. He'd always been able to talk to Feimei and she seemed to have the most level headed attitude out of his sisters.

"_Smooth move, Syaoran. Calling the house so the others wouldn't recognize your ringtone" _

Syaoran sat up abruptly at the sound of his sisters voice. "Please don't tell the others. I'm already having a lousy morning"

Her soft laugh brought a sense of relief within him _"It's alright, they're upstairs. Mother said you had a question for me. What's up?"_

"Well, it's more like I need your advice…about Meilin. You see, we sort of got into an argument over my spring break plans and I told her I needed space. I mean, of course I want to see you guys but I haven't spent time with Eriol in so long, I just feel like I need some male bonding time and—"

Again her laughter calmed him down from his rising nerves. _"Calm down, little brother."_ He laughed to himself at how on edge he was about this situation and took deep breath. "So, what do you think I should do?"

"_From what it looks like to me is that Meilin wants to spend every waking moment with you. Don't get me wrong, I think she's a pleasant young girl but I can see why you'd need your space. And really, Syaoran, you couldn't come up with a better excuse? Male bonding with Eriol? Don't you mean fighting the urge to rip his head off after he gets on your last nerve?"_ she said smartly. Syaoran again let out a chuckle at her comments. _"So how long have you and Meilin been together now? A year or so?"_

Syaoran's words were swallowed by his embarrassment. Why did everyone insist on them dating? "We're not" he mumbled.

"_What was that? You really shouldn't mumble, you know"_

"We're not together. We're just friends" he repeated reluctantly. There was silence, no doubt she was reevaluating her opinion.

"_Ok. Well, dear brother here's the deal." _She started,_ "You know Meilin better than I do but from what I can see, she really cares about you…as more than just a friend. To the point where she doesn't want to be without you. And because you guys aren't together, she doesn't want to take that risk of anything or anyone coming between you, mainly other girls."_

"But it's just going to be me, Eriol, his girlfriend Tomoyo and her cous-"

"_It doesn't matter, Syaoran. She's expecting that anything could happen and she wants to reassure that she'll be there to stop anything that does."_

"So what do you suggest I do?"

"_Well…have you ever thought about giving it a shot?_"

"What? Me and Meilin?"

"_Duh. If you guys were to already be dating, she would feel a sense of security in knowing that you were hers. Well you know, committed to her." _

Syaoran digested his sisters words with a sensitive ear, making sure he'd heard her correctly. He'd never really been good with the ladies. Sure, there were those who were very attracted to him but he just never knew what to do next. When to ask for their number or when to ask to take them out on a date, it just wasn't his forte. He'd dated here and there but was never in a serious, committed relationship and wasn't sure if he wanted to start now.

"_You there?"_

There was a double beep in his ear "Yeah, hold on. I'm getting a call from Meilin now."

"_Good! You'll figure something out, little brother. I've got to go though, I think the others are catching on to us. Good luck!"_

Syaoran heard what sounded like a small tussle happening on the other end of the line.

"_Syaoran? Is that you? You better come home next week or els—" _

He switched over the line, ending the call before he could hear more of his less civil-minded sister's threats.

"_Someone sounds like they're in a good mood this morning" _

"Oh! Hey Meilin! Yeah, I just got off the phone with Feimei" his laughter subsided.

"_That's nice!"_ she said, a hint of a smile in her voice.

"So-" they both laughed at their habit of starting sentences at the same time.

"_You first, Syaoran"_ she said lightheartedly

"I was just going to ask why you called" he hoped he didn't come off the wrong way with that statement.

"_Well, I was calling to see if you'd be able to meet up? I have a couple errands to run at the marketplace but I figured we could meet up at the coffee shop and I could give you your jacket and maybe we could talk?"_ she finished her voice full of hope.

Syaoran glanced at his clock. It was a quarter 'til 11 and there was definitely no going back to sleep this morning. "Yeah, sure. How about around 1:00? I've just gotta get ready and clean up my apartment a little bit. Eriol wants me to come a day earlier than expected" he wished he hadn't said the last line now, knowing she still wasn't ok with his vacation plans.

"_Oh…alright. Well just text or call me when you're in the area." _As expected there was some sadness in her words.

"Sounds good, Meilin. I'll see you soon"

He set his phone to silent and placed it on the nightstand as he finally rose from his bed. He didn't want any other interruptions this morning. Stretching as he made his way to the bathroom to shower he went over his sisters words in his head. 'To commit, or not to commit. That is the question'. He contemplated this as he examined his reflected self. His usually disheveled head of russet hair was even more unruly from all of his fidgeting this morning. There were a many number of girls, including Meilin, who'd told him that they loved his hair and he never really understood why. He attempted to flatten it and tried tucking in some disorderly strands but gave up. With a conquered sigh he decided to finish his deliberation in the comfort of a warm shower.

* * *

><p>Meilin found parking fairly easily on the 3rd floor of the large parking garage. She made sure she had everything she needed in her purse, glancing at Syaoran's jacket that lay in the passenger seat. Flipping open the mirror on the sun visor, she tucked any random stray hairs into place and smiled. "You got this, Meilin. Be strong" she said encouragingly to herself before closing the mirror and stepping out of her car. Quickly, she made her way towards the elevator. She needed to pick up a few things for her apartment and then make sure she made it to the coffee shop on time to reserve a table.<p>

The elevator bell sounded and the doors opened revealing an unexpected sight.

'You've got to be kidding me'. Meilin's spirits dropped in a matter of milliseconds.

"Meilin? I haven't seen you in so long!" the approaching girl's smile faltered as she took note of the less-than-thrilled expression upon Meilin's face.

"Hello to you too, Emi" Meilin murmured as she swept past the girl, keeping her eyes to the floor as she stood in the elevator.

"Meilin' I-" the girl turned back around to face the elevator where her ex-friend was. Meilin's gaze strayed to Emi's, her hardened expression unfaltering. "You what?" Meilin's emotions were rising, a knot formed in her throat.

"I miss you" Emi said hesitantly.

"Right" Meilin scoffed and pressed the door close button. Emi darted forward, placing her hand in the way of the closing door.

"Just hear me out," she pleaded. "Look, I'm not even with that jerk anymore. If you give me a chance, I can explain everything to you!" her voice broke. Meilin could see tears beginning to form in the girls eyes and turned away. She could feel her own eyes brimming with her emotions.

"Please?" Emi's voice sounded almost desperate. She moved her hand from the door and Meilin reached out and pressed the first floor button. "Meet me at the coffee shop in 30 minutes. Please, Meilin. Let me make things right"

The raven haired girl showed no sign of acknowledgement as the door came between them. "I'll be waiting" Emi said before the door ended their confrontation and the elevator departed.

It took everything within her to stay composed. Meilin's racing heart began to calm and she could feel the knot within her throat retreat. She hadn't seen Emi since the day she found her and Ryo together. She'd even gone as far as to breaking her lease and moving into a different apartment complex, coming to the conclusion that she couldn't live in the same complex as the girl that betrayed her anymore. Meilin had remained in the complex for 3 months prior to her break up, stealthily avoiding her ex-friend but grew tired of those antics and decided to just leave.

The elevator chimed to a stop and she took a deep breath before stepping out into the busy marketplace. She checked the time on her phone, it was nearly 12 so she'd have plenty of time to finish her errands before her meeting with Syaoran. '…and maybe I can meet with her for a few minutes'. She shook her head, countering her last though, 'no, Meilin! There's nothing else you need to know. The past is the past. Leave it there.'. Meilin battled herself through her thoughts as she made her way down the busy sidewalk, stopping in front of a furniture store. She checked her reflection before entering the store. Her eyes were reddened slightly but she knew there wasn't anything she could do about it.

Perusing the aisles, Meilin had come to the store in search of any sort of décor she could put in her empty living room. She'd been meaning to look for something earlier but never got around to doing it and hadn't been back to that store in nearly 7 months. That's also the time when she and Syaoran had starting seeing each other more. He had offered to help her move without even concerning himself with her reasons why.

Meilin became lost in her thoughts, picking up a multi-sized mirror and picture frame combination.

"_This is kind of cool!" Syaoran exclaimed, picking up a set of multi-sized mirrors. "You could place these in random places in your apartment. That way you'll be able to see how you look no matter where you are."_

_Meilin laughed. "I mean, sure, if you're into yourself that much. That would actually be a little creepy, honestly. Having that many mirrors everywhere." _

_Syaoran shrugged and placed the mirrors back on the shelf. He put his hands behind his head as he continued down the aisle, looking back and forth between the walls for anything that could catch his eye. _

"_What about this?" Meilin asked, holding up a large piece of artwork. The picture was of various animals, sitting upon levels of low platforms. Syaoran's eyebrows furrowed "And you said my idea was creepy? That painting is nightmare worthy." _

_Meilin held the picture out in front of her and examined it once more. "Yeah, you're right" she laughed, placing the picture back against the wall. Turning around, she nearly ran into Syaoran who was holding a large landscaped painting. There was a woman and a man standing beneath a tree, gazing upon a small white house with mountains in the distance. _

"_THIS, is perfect. That's you, and your boyfriend and that little white house you're always saying you want." Syaoran declared, pointing to each in the painting. _

_Meilin's gaze became uninterested at the mention of her failed relationship and seemingly hopeless future plans. "EX-boyfriend" she stated clearly, walking past him. She hadn't told Syaoran about the break up and he hadn't asked so it wasn't his fault for bringing up the sore subject. Without warning, she was taken from behind into his arms, enwrapped in a comfortable embrace. She'd underestimated the power of a hug when she felt the tears flowing freely from her eyes and she quickly wiped at them with her sleeve. He released her and held her at arm's length, looking down on her with a reassuring smile and He wiping away the remaining tears, "Let's get out of here" he whispered. She simply nodded and they left the store, empty handed. _

"Can I help you find anything in particular, ma'am?"

Meilin was brought back from her memory by the store sales associate. She smiled with a shake of her head. "I'm fine. But thank you." The woman pleasantly returned the smiled before walking off in the opposite direction. She placed the mirror back in its designated spot and checked the time, it was already 12:15 and she hadn't found anything interesting yet. Her thoughts shifted back to her possible meeting with Emi as she made her way out of the store, empty handed. She figured she could browse another furniture store. What more was there to say about what happened? She'd heard everything she needed to hear from outside the door that night. 'But…maybe I could just listen to her. She said she wanted to make things right. So, it's worth a shot. It's not like I have anything else to do in the mean time. I can keep the table for when Syaoran comes later too' she rationalized with herself before finalizing her decision to head to the coffee shop instead. Turning down another street she came to a stop in front of the shop. Taking a deep breath before you entered, she saw Emi just as she was sitting down at a table settled in a small windowed corner of the restaurant.

* * *

><p>"You look good, Meilin" Emi complimented as their waiter left with their orders. Meilin couldn't bring herself to look at the girl sitting across from her yet so she kept her eyes glued to the bustling street outside the window. "How have you been?" Emi asked, seconding an attempt to start a conversation.<p>

"How's Ryo?" Meilin replied, her eyes still fixated on the world outside. Meilin wanted to avoid anymore failed attempts at small talk and get right to the point of their meeting.

"Didn't you hear me before? We broke up. Well, I dumped him that same night" Emi started. She took a deep breath before continuing "It wasn't how it seemed, Meilin"

Meilin's eyes darted towards the girl, "I'm not dumb, Emi. I heard everything you guys said through the door"

Emi closed her eyes and shook her head "I'm the dumb one, Mei. There was one dumb night where we were together and I just feel into his game. He told me he'd always wanted to be with me. I should have never believed him when he told me you guys had been broken up for a month. He said you didn't want to tell anyone yet. But I mean, I thought it was weird that you wouldn't even tell me and he said not to mention anything to you at all since it was a really sensitive subject and he didn't want things to be awkward between the 3 of us. Geez, I was so stupid"

"Yeah. You were." Meilin said bluntly. Emi didn't look hurt when she'd said it, she knew she deserved it.

"Meilin, I've missed you. If there's one good thing I got from the creep. It was you as a best friend. So much has happened that I want to share with you and..Meilin I'm so sorry for everything. I wish I could take back all of the pain that I caused you but I can't and all I can ask you for is forgiveness." Her eyes were brimming with tears as she spoke.

Meilin looked over at Emi with an unreadable expression. This was the girl who'd said she'd help plan the wedding of her dreams once Ryo proposed and it's the same girl who shattered those dreams with one twisted lie. But could she really blame her? Meilin knew Ryo always had wandering eyes but she merely waved it off as a "boy thing" that he would grow out of. She was always very aware of his manipulative ways, frankly, that was always the center of their arguments. He'd always find ways to control her and make her feel as though she was the one doing wrong.

The waiter returned with two drinks and Emi, pulled out a $5 bill and gave it to him.

"Ems, you don't have to pay" Meilin started

"It's cool. It's the very, very least I can do" Emi replied, emphasizing her words.

A silence lapsed between them as they sipped on their drinks.

"I've been doing fine" Meilin finally spoke, taking a deep breath. "I guess I should really be thanking you. As weird as that sounds. You saved me from that dirt bag." A smile tugged at her lips. Emi's eyes widened and she smiled. "I'm not saying that I forgive you or that I trust you again…but I'm willing to give it a shot." She finished.

Emi squealed with delight and hugged Meilin from across the table. 'Typical, Emi' Meilin laughed to herself. "I promise to never, never, never look at any boy you're interested in ever ever ever again! " Emi exclaimed. "I'd be too terrified of your killer right hook" she added in, finally ending her embrace. Meilin couldn't help but laugh, thinking back to when she punched Ryo. "And", Emi inhaled deeply and held up her left hand. "I don't think my fiancé would think too much of me if I did"

Meilin's eyes grew large at the sight of the diamond ring on Emi's finger.

"I KNOW! That's exactly how I looked when he proposed to me" Emi laughed, taking note of Meilin's expression. "I guess a lot does change in a year" Meilin whispered

"It's like…my eyes were opened after that night and I had to reevaluate a lot but there are so many possibilities I would've overlooked if I did. Tokato being one of them." She said, in reference to her new beau. "You have to meet him! And oh! Will you help me plan my wedding? Oh geez, I'm definitely starting off way too strong. I just got you back as a friend and now I'm going to scare you away again"

It was Meilin's turn to laugh again "It's fine. I honestly missed your rambling" she reassured her friend with a warm smile.

They both took sips from their drinks.

"So…anyone new in your life? Whatever happened to that guy? What was his name…Syaoran?"

A blush crept across Meilin's face at the mention of his name. "We're…just friends. But, I dunno. I don't want to get into that."

"'Well if you've got a good one, don't let them get away.' That's what Tokato told me after he proposed" she grinned.

Meilin sighed, "I mean, the thought crossed my mind once…or twice…or three times." She giggled, "But…ever since that night, I've just never felt the same about love. I figured I still needed time to heal before I try to give my heart to someone else, you know?" her thoughts fell upon the turmoil her heart had been through in the last year.

"It all comes down to being strong and giving yourself the chance to move on." Emi said while placing a comforting hand upon Meilin's. "You never know until you try and honestly, you could miss out on so much if you don't. That's why I was so determined to become your friend again." Her voice grew soft and she smiled. She glanced down at her watch and stood from the table before continuing "I really do hope you can forgive me one day, Meilin. But I'm happy we were able to meet like this. I wish I could stay longer but I have to pick up Tokato from work."

Meilin stood from her chair and they embraced once more.

"Thank you, Emi. And…I'm glad that we were able to talk as well. I'll see you around, ok?" they parted and Emi walked towards the front of the store.

"Remember what I said, Meilin! Possibilities are endless! Don't let 'em get away. You're stronger than that" Emi shouted with a wave as she made her way out the door.

'Possibilities are endless? We'll see how this goes' Meilin thought as she returned to her seat by the window.

* * *

><p>Syaoran could see Meilin sitting in a window seat of the coffee shop as he crossed the street. He was determined to be on time so he decided to finish cleaning the rest of his apartment when he returned home. His heart pounded in his ear as he reached the entrance of the little shop, he'd been thinking about what to say all morning. "This is it" he whispered to himself before walking into the store. He was lucky Meilin's back was towards him or else she'd be able to see his thoughts written all over his face.<p>

He cleared his throat as he approached her table. "This seat taken?" he said in a huskier voice when he reached her. Meilin, who was busy looking through her phone, didn't bother to look up when she spoke. "Yes, I'm actually saving it for a friend".

"You know, it's rude to text when you have company" Syaoran said in his normal voice as he took the seat in front of her. Meilin's face shot up and she smiled "Syaoran! Wow, you're actually on time" she commented. He dusted imaginary dust off of his shoulders "What can I say? I'm just good that way" "Once every 5 years, maybe" she teased.

"Have you been waiting long? Looks like you're almost done with your drink." He took notice to the nearly empty glass. "Oh! I actually met up with an…old friend." Meilin smiled widely. "But, I'm gonna have to excuse myself real quick. I really have to use the restroom. I'll be back" she whispered to him as she stood from the table and hurried off to the ladies room. Syaoran chuckled as his friend left the table. 'This really is kind of easy. Being with her.' The waiter made his way back over to the table, refilling Meilin's drink as he spoke "Is there anything I can get for you, sir?"

"hmm..I'll take a large coke and a couple of chocolate chip cookies, please" Syaoran asked.

"Will do. I'll be back with you shortly" he replied.

Meilin returned to the table a few minutes later. "I didn't want to move from the table and risk losing it so I just waited 'til you got here" she laughed as she returned to her seat across from him. "So how's your morning been?" she took a sip from her refilled drink.

"Could've been better but it was ok. Kept getting phone calls all morning so I couldn't really sleep in" he complained.

"Well it's not good to be a lazy butt, anyways" Meilin said, sticking her tongue out at him. He rolled his eyes playfully. "So, what's up?" he asked. The waiter brought him his drink and set the two cookies down on the table. Syaoran gave the young man $5 and picked up one of the cookies, handing it to Meilin.

"Thank you," she said while unwrapping the cookie "I-I don't know where to start really but I'll try to make this kind of easy" her fingers fumbled with the wrapping as she spoke "Syaoran, we've known each other for a little while now and you're pretty much my best friend. I mean, in the past year you've been there for me through one of the hardest times in my life and I couldn't be more grateful for that" she kept her eyes on the difficult wrapping, taking a break from her task to think about what she'd say next.

Syaoran listened intently, unmoving. He didn't want to miss any word she was saying. After a moment she turned and smiled at him "I really like you, Syaoran and I think that's why I'm always clinging to you. You're like, my save zone. Nothing can ever go wrong with you and I always just feel so comfortable around you" she turned her attention back to the unopened cookie.

Syaoran reached his hand out and took the cookie from her struggling hands. Her eyes followed his hands back up to his face. He quickly popped the bag open and handed it back to her, their eyes meeting. He quickly turned his head to look outside, before she continued what she was saying.

"That's it, really. I don't know how you feel about me but I hope I didn't just make things awkward by telling you this. I guess, sometimes we just have to put ourselves out there and hope for the best, right?" she laughed nervously. She took a bite from her cookie and looked out the window.

"I think I like you too, Meilin" he said with a sigh. Meilin's heart beat louder in her chest as he continued to speak. "I didn't want to try to cross that boundary of friendship mainly because I didn't think you were completely over what happened last year so I stayed at a certain distance." He stopped to take a bite from his cookie and glance at her. He couldn't read her expression but he knew she was paying attention.

"I understand why you're very overprotective of me. I mean…who could really resist my charm" he said, humorously while, standing from the table.

Meilin couldn't help but laugh at her friend. "Oh get over yourself, Syaoran!" she playfully hit his arm as they made their way out of the coffee shop. She looped her arm in between his, hugging herself closer to him as they walked down the sidewalk. "I tried going shopping today for something to hang in my living room but came up empty handed, once again." Meilin mentioned. They stopped in front of a shop not far from the parking garage. They turned to look through the window, randomly observing the items on display.

"So, what should we do…about us?" Meilin questioned, bringing the subject of their thoughts back to their current relationship status.

Syaoran breathed in, exhaling just before he spoke. "I guess we could give it a shot? It's just…I still need a little time to think about it before I commit to anything. I don't want to make any false promises."

Meilin nodded with understanding and turned to him. "How about this, take the week to think about it. I was wrong for trying to stop you from going to spend time with your cousin. So, if that's what you really want to do then don't let me get in the way. And when you come back, we'll start from there."

He thought about this before responding "So you're basically saying that this is my last week as a free man?" he raised his eyebrows, nudging her as they continued walking towards the garage.

"You betcha, Syaoran! So enjoy it while you still can" she said teasingly, nudging him back. They stared at each other for a moment in silence before Meilin spoke "Well, I parked in here. I'm going to head over to the mall to see if I can find anything there"

"Sure you don't need any help?" he asked, walking her over to the elevator.

"No, I'll be fine. You've got to start packing for your trip tomorrow. Give me a call later tonight and maybe we can try dinner again?" she asked with an optimistic tone.

"I'll bring the rolls!" Syaoran exclaimed, raising his hand in the air. They both laughed as the elevator chimed and the door opened. "So I'll see you then" Meilin said as she stepped on to the elevator. Syaoran nodded in agreement before the door closed.

He turned around in his spot and took a deep breath. "Well that wasn't so bad" he said aloud, walking towards a parking lot down the street where he'd parked.

'Guess we'll see what happens in a week'

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Soooooo the next few chapters will begin his Spring Break adventure! So bear with me if it takes a little while to update :). I hope you enjoyed reading and are anxious about where the story is going. I think of something new to add in almost every day so we'll see how it goes ^_^. Ja ne!<strong>

**- Synea K**


	4. Looking Back

**AN: Ahhhh! I know it's been almost a month since I was able to update which sucks since the story is still young BUT…I'm workin' on it! My little netbook died sooo I've had to improvise and use any computers I could get a hold of to write. Plus, finals and fanfiction's don't mix too well, sadly. But here's Chapter 4! I'm already working on 5 so it should be up before the Christmas holiday. If there are any typos & such I'll probably go back through & fix 'em when I can. I just really wanted to post this while I'm at a computer. **

**I tried to clear up a bit in this chapter, mainly personality changes w/ some of the characters & a little more background information on them. I was also arguing with myself on if I should introduce Sakura in this chapter but I decided to wait 'til Chapter 5 :P! **

**Thanks goes out to Xsprinter, Yasashii Ma, Maylar Kim 69, deadflo, James Birdsong & lhaine07 for the awesome reviews! **

**Also to all of you less-vocal readers who are favoriting & story-alerting to my story! I REALLY appreciate it and it's my motivation to keep writing. **

**Without further ado, Chapter 4: Looking Back!**

**Enjoy & Happy reading! :)**

**-Synea K. **

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><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong>

**I do not own any of the CCS characters - CLAMP has that right. [I do own this plot and a couple original peeps though^_^]**

* * *

><p><em><span>Summary:<span>_

_Syaoran has been living a pretty comfortable life. Until a girl he meets during a spontaneous Spring Break road trip shows up on his door step a week later, turning his comfortable world upside down._

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 4: Looking back<strong>

"Don't forget your jacket this time" she handed the brown leather jacket to the auburn haired boy that stood in her doorway. Placing it over his shoulder he turned to her, a grateful smile on his face.

"Thank you again for dinner, Meilin. You really went out of your way tonight" he commented, his mind roaming back to the previous few hours.

"What? Are you surprised that I know how to cook something other than just spaghetti and meatballs?" Meilin said with a smirk. "I only break out the real skills for special people" She smiled inwardly; she wouldn't let him know that she spent hours studying the recipe on how to make chicken and dumplings. It was one of his favorite meals so she had to make sure it was prepared the right way. In all honesty, she'd never stressed so much over a meal before but in her eyes - - it was worth it.

"So you think I'm special?" Syaoran responded with a boyish grin.

A pink hue colored her cheeks and she pushed him out of her door frame. "Whatever, Syaoran! You should be getting home so you can finish packing. I don't want Eriol blaming me for you being late if you can't wake up on time." she attempted to mask her slight embarrassment by pushing him along.

Syaoran chuckled. "Alright, alright I'm leaving" he held his hands up in a defensive manner.

She stared intently at him which didn't go unnoticed. "What's wrong?" his eyebrows furrowed with concern and he took a step towards her.

Now that they'd spoken about their relationship status, she didn't exactly know how to feel right now. She didn't want to overreact before they parted ways for the week when they weren't even a couple but at the same time, he did say that they would try it out when he got back so it'd be ok to tell him how she felt. But what if he didn't feel the same after that week? What if he somehow met someone or what if Eriol convinced him that he really shouldn't be with someone who's only looking for a rebound?

'No! Syaoran would never be a rebound. I really care about him' she nearly scolded herself for thinking a thought like that. "It's nothing" she said softly, faking a smile and breaking their eye contact.

He averted his gaze nervously, ruffling his already disheveled head of hair. "If you say so. I'll see you in a week then" he said through the slightly awkward silence.

She only nodded quietly in response, unable to come up with the right words to say to tell him of her worries. She was afraid that her troublesome emotions would get the best of her and she would fall apart in front of him, asking him not to leave and to spend the week with her instead. Why did she have to feel so frail around him?

'It's only a week, Meilin! Get a grip'

"So…thanks again for dinner. It was really grea-"

He was taken by surprise at the force with which she embraced him but returned the gesture, nonetheless. Overcome with a lack of vocabulary, Meilin had done the only thing she could think of that could express how she felt.

A few moments of silences passed as their still embrace continued before she found her voice, "Don't have too much fun, ok? And stay out of trouble" she mumbled into his chest. He ended the embrace and held her at arm's length, his hands resting lightly on her shoulders. "Don't worry so much, It's only a week. I mean, I know I'll be with Eriol and he's always got something up his sleeve but I can still think for myself,"

Meilin gave another nod and stepped back into her doorway slowly. "Plus," he continued, "Tomoyo will be there to keep him in check and help me out" he reassured her with a goofy smile before walking towards the stairs.

Her worried eyes shined brightly as she watched him descend to the lower ground. 'I was definitely overreacting—but that was definitely what I need to hear' "Text me before you leave in the morning so I can wish you a safe trip and don't stay up too late or you'll be too tired to drive." She shouted after him as he made his way down the stairs.

"I will, Meilin! Have a good night!" he responded with a backwards wave. She watched as his car drove out of sight before heading back inside. Closing and locking the door she leaned against it, enjoying the comfortable silence of her apartment.

Tonight had been sweet and simple. They'd eaten dinner and laughed and talked and even had time to watch a short film and everything just felt so…natural. Even after their talk about the future of 'them', there wasn't any awkward moments and that's just what she wanted. She moved from her post, deciding to get started on cleaning up the kitchen and dining room. She wanted to make sure her apartment was clean before she went to spend the week with his sisters.

She'd met them towards the end of their sophomore semester. Meilin laughed inside at the thought of how much of a handful they were. Fuuti, Feimi, Fanran and Sheifa were the definition of liveliness. With their constant squeals of joy and endless amounts of energy, she really didn't understand how Syaoran turned out the way he is. She couldn't help but enjoy their company, despite the fact that she didn't associate herself with too many girls. Syaoran on the other hand was the complete opposite. When she'd first met him, he was very quiet and reserved. That would soon change after a few encounters.

Even though they were working on a group project together, he never really made the effort to meet up with her and the other group members. He did his part without any fuss or any requests for help and they'd received an A in the end but it really didn't sit well with Meilin. Observing him during the remainer of the semester she realized that he was often alone. He would show up to class before everyone else without even the slightest acknowledgment to his peers and would leave right after. It wasn't really any of her business how he carried out his life but she couldn't help but want to reach out to him—or bring him down to earth. His actions had reminded her of how she used to be during her first two years of high school.

Transferring in from a different city and skipping to a higher grade, she'd believed that she was better than everyone else because of her prior travelling and private educational experiences. She would often put people down in order to make herself look better. It wasn't until the end of her second year that she was finally put in her place. When asked to get into groups for a final project, Meilin was left having to pair up with two other girls who were not able to make a group with any of the other students in the class who were already in groups with their close friends. She hadn't taken any offense to it, defending herself by saying that she would be able to do the group by herself without anyone's help. A quiet girl that she was placed with had simply told her that she would probably have more friends if she would come off her pedestal. Slightly embarrassed by her remarks, Meilin didn't speak to the rest of the group for the rest of the class and finished her part of the assignment without meeting up with them. The girl's words hadn't really registered to her until the summer vacation. Although she continued her various lessons and training to stay focused, when she was allowed a day off - - there was no one to call to hang out and she was often very lonely. Returning to school the following year, she decided to try to reach out to people and encourage them instead of pushing them away by bringing them down. It was very outside her character and it took her a while to get used to it but eventually it stopped becoming an act and became who she was. She gained a really great group of friends that she was still close to even though they went to different colleges.

Hoping to be able to help Syaoran not make the same mistake she did and miss out on great friends and memories—especially in college—she confronted him on the last day of class. She repeated to him the exact same statement that had made her want to change, hoping it's 'power' could be used to help someone else. Expecting a quick change of heart because of her words, she was greatly disappointed.

"Is that all?" he'd said after a brief awkward silence between them. Whatever response she was expecting, that definitely wasn't it. "Uh, y-yeah" she stuttered over her words as he walked away. She looked on after in in defeat. She'd done what she could and that was that.

It wasn't until beginning of their sophomore year when Meilin would run into him again. She was surprised to see him surrounded by a group of students talking and joking around. She waited for them to leave before approaching him.

"So you took my advice after all?" she said smugly.

He looked at her quizzically before recognition came over him. He'd decided not to let her know that he'd recognize her though.

"I'm sorry, what advice was that again?" he asked.

"Last semester! I told you that you needed to get off your pedestal and make some friends" she repeated, her temper slightly raised.

Someone cleared their throat behind her and she froze. She could have sworn they were alone.

"Uh, Syaoran…we're gonna just head out. We'll meet back up with you later ok?" a dark haired boy said nervously, glancing from Syaoran to Meilin. The girl behind him grabbed his hand and smiled at Syaoran and then Meilin. "Thanks again for meeting us for lunch, Syaoran!"

"No problem, Chiharu. I'll see you later Takashi" Syaoran said before his two friends left. He turned his attention back to Meilin, who was beat red.

"Well that wasn't very nice" She said, unable to look at him.

"Well you shouldn't have jumped to conclusions about me" he replied curtly, gathering his belongings from the lunch table. She remained speechless as he walked away from her.

Meilin finished rinsing the plates and placed them into the dishwasher, turning it on. She laughed quietly at how cross they'd been with each other that day.

She would have another run-in with him in their sociology class later that afternoon. Being told to break off into assigned groups, she happened to be placed with him. Each member was to give a short biography of themselves to the other members and any troubles they'd been through. Meilin shared her story from high school, hoping that he would see the reasoning behind her actions. All attention was on Syaoran as he said he had a similar story to hers. He told them how his parents had made him graduate from high school early so that he could get a head start on college and begin working more with the family company. He was unable to attend his senior prom with his friends as well as graduation so when he started his freshman year, he wasn't very enthusiastic. He finished by saying that it wasn't until this very forthright girl bluntly told him to make some friends that he decided to stop sulking about it. Meilin could have sworn he winked at her before finishing his story but she look down, a small smile played upon her lips.

After class she caught him before he was about to leave to apologize for the way she'd acted. "It's ok. I got a good laugh out of it afterwards" he responded as they walked out of the building.

"Hey! I was only trying to help you out" she retorted.

"If thinking that helps you sleep at night, then sure" he smirked. They stopped by a bench shaded by a small tree."You DID take my advice though. I saw you with your new friends earlier" she exclaimed confidently, setting her bag down.

"Sort of. They were actually my old friends from high school," he knelt down to tie his shoe before continuing, "I did make some friends in my first class though. Why suffer through Calculus alone, right?" he laughed at his own statement as he stood back up.

"That's true, I guess" she replied.

"Well, I just wanted to make sure that we were ok. I didn't want things to be awkward if we had to work together" she retrieved her bag from the bench.

"I wasn't aware that you cared that much about how I felt about you. I'm flattered." it was his turn to be pompous.

"Oh get over yourself. I just thought we could be friends" she rolled her eyes at the auburn haired boy.

"Sure. But don't expect any more from me" he teased.

"Whatever, Syaoran. I'm going to meet up with my boyfriend so I'll see you in class!" she made sure to place an emphasis on the word 'boyfriend' as she retreated from her new friend.

"See ya!" he said before walking off in the opposite direction.

She couldn't really remember just when exactly they really became friends but she wasn't concerned with that. A new though plagued her as she began packing up the leftover food from the dining room table. Syaoran had always made sure to stay in the friend zone, never once crossing that line even after her breakup with Ryu. It's true he'd softened up to her over the semester, especially when she really need a friend, but he was always the first out of the two to deny anything more than friendship when accusations were voiced.

So why the sudden change of heart?

She placed the now full containers in the fridge and proceeded to straighten up her living room furniture. When had he'd switched from strictly friendship to potential love interest? Although they'd spent a large amount of time together, the two never openly discussed the possibility of something more between them. Yes, there were times when they had to deny a relationship when people would assume they were a couple but after laughing about it, there was never a continuation of the topic. Maybe he'd only said he'd give it a try because he felt bad about her most recent failure of a relationship. 'He couldn't be the one to break my heart again' Her expression saddened as she took one last look around the rooms. With a sigh and satisfied approval with her clean apartment, she proceeded to her room, turning off all of the lights in the process. Her phone buzzed as she closed her bedroom door behind her.

_I made it home and thank you again for the dinner. Have a good night!_ her expression became light once again

'Or maybe he actually does care for me as more than a friend'

The thought made her smile as she prepared herself for a much needed night of sleep

* * *

><p>"Syaoran just texted me, he says he'll be leaving tomorrow morning" Eriol looked towards his girlfriend who sat across the room.<p>

"That's good. So he should be here at around noon, right?" Tomoyo sat in front of a large vanity mirror. There was a subtle glow from the overhead light bulbs that illuminated the room in a soft golden hue. Her amethyst eyes met with a darker pair in the reflection of the mirror as she steadily brushed her hair. Pulling it back into a lose ponytail, she twisted her hair into a neat bun and secured it against her head with hairpins.

"If he wakes up on time. Knowing him, he probably hasn't even finished packing yet." Eriol averted his gaze from his girlfriend and back to the book in his hands. "Meilin probably made him eat dinner at her place too" he added.

Tomoyo turned off the vanity light and made her way over to the bed. A single lamp next to the bed was left on while Eriol silently read.

"What do you have against Meilin, anyways? I've only met her once but she didn't seem so bad to me." Tomoyo slipped into the sheets and picked up a fashion magazine that lay on the nightstand next to her side of the bed. She propped up her pillow against the headboard so that she was now mimicking the man next to her.

"Remember Brian Chin?" he turned a page as he waited for her racked her brain, trying to put a face to the name. "Why does that name sound SO familiar?"

"You tutored him a few times during your freshman year. I learned that after that he would purposely try to get low scores and meet up with you so that he could spend more time with you"

A light bulb went off in Tomoyo's head and she slammed the magazine down on her lap "I remember him now! I would see him everywhere! I knew it was too much of a coincidence that he would be around every single one of my classes. Is Meilin really that bad?" Tomoyo's mouth dropped in disbelief.

Eriol chuckled at her reaction, "Too bad he really didn't know the material as well as he knew your schedule. But no, she's not as bad as him. I'm convinced that she could be that way if Syaoran allows her to run his life the way she wants." He turned another page in his book.

"I'm sure she means well. But I won't really comment until I see for myself." Tomoyo replied, returning to her magazine.

There was a placid silence before a thought returned to her, "Wait, so what ever happened to Brian Chin? After the midterm I never saw him in class again."

Eriol bookmarked his page before placing the book on his night stand. He turned his attention to the girl, a devilish grin on his face. "I had him transferred"

Tomoyo's eyes shot over to the boy beside her who laughed yet again at her surprised response.

"You what?" All attention to the magazine gone, she returned it to the nightstand and turned to face Eriol.

"I knew that if he continued to bother you, either you'd stop coming to class"

Tomoyo opened her mouth to interject but was silenced as he continued ", which I knew you probably wouldn't do since you were a top student." She closed her mouth.

"OR you simply wouldn't enjoy coming to the lectures anymore which I couldn't have happening."

He took a sip from a glass of water on the nightstand before continuing, "So I transferred him into one of the other Teaching Assistant's classes after the midterm and that was that. Plus, he wasn't doing well in my lecture" He finished, placing his pillow onto the bed. He folded his arms behind his head and closed his eyes.

Tomoyo, still in a slight state of shock at his confession stared down at the dark-haired boy.

"You're crazy, you know that?" she said before laying her pillow flat against the bed.

"So what does that make you if you're dating me?" Eriol opened one eye to catch her reaction but was caught off guard by her pillow hitting his face.

"Eriol, you know what I mean!" she shouted over his laughter.

"But thank you. That was sweet," she wrapped her arms around him, laying her head on his chest, "Even if you only did it to ask me out yourself".

Eriol peered down at the smiling girl and hugged her closer. He felt like the luckiest man since he'd mustered up the courage to ask her out. Although it did take some scheming and a lot of patience, he was finally with her.

"See, my plans always work out in the end. As crazy as they may seem". She responded by placing a kiss upon his cheek and returning her head to his chest.

"It's a good thing you waited until the end of the semester to tell me how you felt or else the entire class would have assumed I was only the top student because we were together." she whispered, keeping her eyes closed. "You probably wouldn't have accepted my date offer if I didn't wait and of course I couldn't risk damaging your reputation. You really were my favorite and brightest student" he removed his glasses, placing them next to the book on the nightstand.

"When you put things like that, it sounds like I'm dating one of my old professor's who's twice my age or something and not just a teaching assistant" their laughter blended together and she hugged him tighter. "Your lectures were my favorite though", she said through a stifled yawn. Placing a kiss upon her forehead he reached up and turned off the light.

"I know. Now let's get some sleep." he said through the serene darkness before closing his eyes.

* * *

><p>Syaoran groaned at the site of the vast amount of clothes scattered upon his bed.<p>

'Why does packing have to be so difficult?'

Normally, his clothes would be packed neatly with a corresponding outfit for each day, thanks to Meilin and the fact that he would usually just be going home to see his family and knew what to expect.

"What kind of clothes do you even wear on a Spring Break adventure" he said aloud as he glanced over the garments.

The last hint of the winter season would be gone by tomorrow and he had 'Sun, sun and more sun!' to look forward to, according to the weatherman he'd listened to this morning.

Momentarily defeated, he laid back on his bed and covering his face with his hands he massaged his eyes. Between meeting up with Meilin, running errands and then dinner he hadn't had a minute to himself to just relax. 'So much for a Friday off'.

Despite how simple the task was, the last thing he wanted to do was stress over what he should be wearing for the next week. 'If Meilin was here this would all be done' he began to think about all of the things she would do to make his life...simpler. If he ever mentioned needing to schedule an appointment, she'd already done it before he had a chance. If he'd needed something quick from the store, it was as if she was in and out before he could even count his change. Dinner was always an option and he was sure that if he ever needed breakfast, she'd have it ready by the time he stepped onto campus. She was like his own personal helper...or mom. He cringed at his last thought and sat up from his reclined position.

He decided to continue the tedious task but his mind still wandered to Meilin's continual helpfulness. She hadn't always been that way, especially when they had first met. Although most would have found her antics quite annoying, he was actually amused by her. She was constantly nagging him to make sure all of his homework was completed – which he found unnecessary since he never procrastinated- and she was always making sure his apartment was clean and organized. Had she changed because of her feelings towards him or was this just how Meilin was? Either way it was nice to have a little help every now and then. But at the same time was it too much?

He sighed with frustration at his contradicting thoughts.

Instead, his mind shifted to the upcoming week with his cousin. It'd been nearly a year since they were able to see each other and in that time Eriol began dating Tomoyo. He remembered the story of how they met and smiled, his cousin really was too mischievous for his own good.

Although he'd just finished his freshman year, Eriol was appointed as a teaching assistant to help lecture the entry level business and finance course due to his outstanding marks in the class. Whenever his professor was called away for conference, which was very often, he would step in and lecture the course. He'd told Syaoran that Tomoyo instantly caught his eye with her clever and witty responses to his difficult questions and her ability to breeze through the tests. Throughout the semester, Eriol had made sure that any other admirers who he deemed unworthy to date her were transferred or embarrassed by their inability to answer his puzzling questions.

At the end of the semester, Eriol decided to ask her out to dinner which, not to his surprise, she politely declined. He'd figured it was because he was still seen as her teaching figure and decided to wait to ask her out again. A few months later he "coincidentally" ran into her outside one of her classes and approached her with the subject again. There was hesitation before she answered but she agreed. After a year of dating, they'd decided to move in together. Meeting her once, Syaoran was able to conclude just why Eriol was so intrigued by her. She was just as clever and cunning as him. And she was the only one who could really understand him and see through his ploys, complimenting him in all aspects of who he was. A perfect match.

'Is Meilin my perfect match?' he thought to himself.

Just when he began looking at her as more than just a friend, he wasn't sure. Shaking his head, he agreed that it was something he'd think about over the break. After all, that was an underlying reason for this vacation.

He'd promised Meilin that he would consider a relationship with her. The thought wasn't foreign to him at all. Although they'd had to continuously deny the fact that they were together when people assumed, it'd always linger before he brushed it away. Aside from his sisters, he'd never really been this closer to any girl before. Sure, he has a few girl friends and he'd gone on a few dates here and there over the last few years but there was no one who took that extra step to really get to know who he was. Yes, it would be something he would really have to consider over the next week. He finally finished with packing his clothes and tossed the duffle bag into the corner. Heading into the bathroom he planned to shower before heading off to bed.

* * *

><p><strong>ANx2: All done! I hope there weren't too many mistakes. The spacing turned out a little weird so I fixed what I could. I hope you enjoyed that chapter! I had a little writers block but I got passed it with a spark of inspiration. I'll have Ch.5 up as soon as I can. Please review &amp; keep on readin! Lemme know any thoughts, concerns, suggestions &amp; I'll be sure to answer them the best I can.<strong>

**Always, **

**S.K**


	5. Moving Forward

**AN: Hello Lovelies! Told ya I'd update before the Christmas holiday! So I've finally got a pretty set in stone idea of where this story is going to go and I'm really excited about it. I've been getting into the habit of writing chapter summaries so I won't be so unorganized with my thoughts. There are a few future plot ideas that are going to need a lot of debating but I've got some time for that. SO! Here's chapter 5, "Moving Forward", and as promised, Sakura is in it! I really should have put this first part at the end of Chapter 4 but it wasn't complete. Anyways, I'm dong rambling ^_^. Enjoy reading! **

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><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong>

**I do not own any of the CCS characters - CLAMP has that right. [I do own this plot and a couple original peeps though^_^]**

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><p><em><span>Summary:<span>_

_Syaoran has been living a pretty comfortable life. Until a girl he meets during a spontaneous Spring Break road trip shows up on his door step a week later, turning his comfortable world upside down._

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><p>Chapter 5: Moving Forward<p>

The picture sat atop the dresser where it had always been. She was mesmerized by the smiling faces that were now frozen in time and her eyes remained glued to this portrait. Reaching out to it as if to get a better look she retracted her hand halfway through. The stationary memory would remain untouched as she stood from the bed and walked across the room. She didn't need a better look to know that they would remain happy-forever bound in that frame and in her memory.

The walls of the room were colored pale pink and any remnants of her childhood had been removed and stored away on the top shelf of her closet. She examined the boxes and located the one in particular that she'd been looking for stretching up into the closet to bring it down. A small stuffed animal fell from the top as she struggled to stay balanced with the heavy package held above her head. Finally steadying herself, she placed it on the floor and retrieved the little toy. With careful hands she picked off random bits of dust and fuzz from the little lion and grinned.

"I'm glad you haven't change, Kero" she whispered to the inanimate object.  
>Kero returned her statement with a silent sewn on smile. She sighed deeply. There were few things in life that ever really stayed the same but she was grateful to have even the smallest bit of constant.<br>With the stuffed animals still in one hand she sifted through the contents of the container with her other, coming across a smaller silver box. She picked it out and sat on her bed, sitting the stuffed animal down next to her. The box contained folded pieces of paper which she opened one by one and read quietly to herself. Her eyes brimmed with emotion after closing each letter but she remained composed.  
>Finally, the bottom of the box held two items that were made visible to her now. The pink artificial cherry blossom still shown vibrantly but was overshadowed by the object that lay next to it. Her fingers slid over the cold silver bracelet. She held it up in front of her face, the small heart pendant gleamed in the light as it made small swinging motions from its elevated position.<p>

_"It's so beautiful! And it even has my name on it." she exclaimed, running her finger over the engraving._

_'Sakura', it read._

_Turning it over she noticed another inscription and read aloud, _

_"Live?" the joyous expression on her face was now one of confusion as she contemplated the meaning behind the word._

_He laughed nervously, "Ehh…Yeah. Being with you," he stopped to gather the right words. Her heart skipped as he gently took one of her hands and the bracelet from her other hand. _

_"Sakura…you've showed me what it's like to live and I mean, REALLY, live. And for that," he paused again and clasped the bracelet around her petite wrist. _

_"I'm grateful." _

_Their eyes met and her heart raced. She was frozen in his gaze and rendered speechless. His eyes stared intently into hers. _

_"If I had to describe you in one word it would be Life. You've brought out the best of me and you've made this life worth living," his face inched closer to hers with every word, shivers ran through her and her heart felt like it would explode. "You're my reason for living. You are my life."_

_She melted into his arms as their lips met. Electricity surged through her with such intensity as he pulled her closer to him in a tight embrace._

A light rap at the door brought her out of her reverie and she found herself needing to catch her breath.

"C-come in" she said hurriedly, standing from the bed and shoving the piece of jewelry into her back pocket. Gathering all of the notes she placed them back in the little box and set it back into the larger container as her bedroom door opened, revealing a young man with dark brown hair. His eyes survey the room before, spotting her at the closet.

"Here, let me get that," in a few swift steps he'd made it to her side and taken the box from her hands. His height made it very easy for him to set the box back onto the top shelf.

"Thanks" she said under her breath, grabbing Kero and sitting back onto the bed. She kept her eyes fixed to the toy, fidgeting with its small white wings.

"You alright?"

"Huh? Oh! Yeah, I'm fine. It's just weird being back home, that's all" she quickly came out of her thoughts and laughed timidly. She looked up at him, his eyes searching hers before shifting away.

"Yeah...not much has really changed here," she let out a relieved sigh at the change of topic. She was aware that he knew something was wrong but he wouldn't push for an answer. Now wasn't the time for that.

"You've only been back a few hours and your room is already a mess" he teased, heading back towards the door.

She glared daggers at his retreating figure "It is not! It's not nearly as bad as what it used to be" she said in a defensive manner.

"Whatever you say, squirt!"

"I'm not a squirt I'-"

"Oh that's right," he paused in the door frame. "Now that you're 21, you've definitely evolved into a little monster." he laughed as he continued walking.

"Whatever, Touya!" if looks could kill, the man named Touya would have been dead before he was able to take another step. Luckily for him that wasn't so.

She gave a flustered sigh and stood to close her door.

"By the way, dinner's ready so hurry up and come down!" Touya yelled from the stairs below.

"Ok!" she replied before softly closing her door. As annoyed as she wanted to be, she couldn't help but laugh. She was thankful for the minor distraction that he'd provided. Leave it to him to lighten any mood and make her feel better -even if he was making fun of her.  
>Making her way back over to the bed she picked up the little lion and walked over to the dresser, placing it next to the picture frame. She removed the bracelet from her pocket and cautiously clipped it around her wrist, as if afraid that it would fall apart if she didn't handle it with care.<p>

Looking up into the mirror, her emerald eyes stared into the reflected pair. She smiled feebly before looking back down at the jewelry that now glistened on her wrist. 'It's time to start living again. It's what he would want for me' she thought to herself before giving herself a nod of approval and leaving the room to join her family for dinner.

She bounded down the stairs, two at a time and made her way towards the kitchen. Passing a display of pictures along the way, she stopped in front of one containing the image of a remarkably beautiful woman.

"Hi Mom" she whispered with a smile before continuing into the kitchen.

"Dinner smells great, Dad! What are you making?" she exclaimed, skipping over to her father's side.

"Seafood pasta" he said while lifting the lid off of the large pot on the stove which was immediately followed by a squeal of both delight and approval and a tight squeeze.

"Sakura, if you hug dad any harder he won't be able to finish dinner" Touya walked into the kitchen from the adjacent room.

Sakura responded by sticking her tongue out at him and proceeded to set the table with plates and utensils.

She was filled with such warmth and calmness as she completed her task. Since her mother, Nadeshiko, passed away when she was three, it was always just Sakura, her older brother Touya and her father Fujitaka. Although she was unable to remember much about her departed mother, she had never felt as though she wasn't loved or missed out on something. Whenever Sakura would visit her cousin Tomoyo, her Aunt, Sonomi, would always share stories about her mother and her father from high school and for Sakura, it was more than enough.

"You're going to be spending the week with Tomoyo, right?" Touya asked as he poured water into each of the cups that Sakura set up.

She nodded, "I told her I would be there on Sunday but I'm going to just drive to her place tomorrow morning and surprise her!"

Her father brought over the large pot of food and began dishing out servings onto their plates and she took her seat, Touya sitting across from her.

"It's really great for all of us to be together again even if it's for such a short period of time." He smiled at his children. With Sakura attending college in a neighboring city, Touya finding work and living a few hours away and Fujitaka constantly leaving the country for excavations, it was a rare occasion for the 3 of them to be together.

"I'm so very proud of you two," he continued, "and no matter what may happen in life, no matter how hard things may seem…just know you can always come home" he directed this statement in Sakura's direction. She smiled sadly at the underlying meaning of her fathers comment and nodded. "Thanks, Dad" she said, placing her hand over his.

"Well then! Let's eat!" Touya exclaimed loudly clapping his hands together.

She didn't bother to turn her light on when she returned to her room after dinner. The light emitting from the street lamps outside was enough for her to quickly change into her night clothes and lay down in her bed.

'I almost forgot how comfortable it was here' she stifled a yawn and turned over onto her side so that she faced the window.

It had been 2 years since she'd been home. Her eyes blinked slowly as her mind and body relaxed. Losing the battle to stay awake any longer, she unconsciously wrapped her fingers around the bracelet that remain on her wrist as she drifted into sleep.

* * *

><p>"Duffle bag….check! Water bottles and snacks…check! Jacket…check! Directions…?" he pulled a piece of paper out of his jacket pocket. Reading over its contents quickly he nodded<p>

"Check!" He closed the door and started the car before taking one last glance back at his apartment through the rearview mirror.

"See you in a week" he said under his breath as he pulled out of the parking lot.

As he made his way through the streets towards the highway that would carry him to his destination he shuffled through the CDs that lay in the passenger seat with his free hand. He made sure to bring plenty of music, snacks and water to keep him awake and entertained on the 3 hour trip ahead of him. If the time he'd calculated was correct, he'd reach Eriol and Tomoyo's place by noon.

He was grateful for waking up feeling refreshed and energized.

'Shoot! I forgot to text Meilin' he made a reach for his phone but stopped himself, shaking his head.

'I'll call her when I get to a rest stop or something'. Looking up just in time he slammed on his brakes & cursed himself for even taking his eyes away from the road, even if it was only for a few seconds. In front of him was a standstill line of traffic that was entering the highway.

Before he had a chance to even consider taking an alternate route, a few more cars lined up behind him, trapping him in the seemingly never-ending line of cars. Since it was the first day of Spring Break, Syaoran had forgotten that everyone was trying to leave for their vacation.

'Traffic definitely wouldn't have been this bad if I would've left tomorrow. I'll be sure to kick Eriol's ass when I see him for making me leave today.'

He gave a frustrated sigh and turned up the volume of his music. It was going to be a long trip.

* * *

><p>Eriol sneezed, followed by a small sniffle.<p>

"You're not getting sick are you?" Tomoyo asked while handing him a tissue from the paper towel holder that sat on their kitchen counter.

"Thank you and no, I don't think so" he shook his head. "I really hope Syaoran left early enough. Traffic is going to be horrible for him if he's trying to leave now"

"Have you heard from him yet?" Tomoyo was busy gathering items from the fridge to make breakfast for herself and Eriol.

Eriol reached through over her and grabbed the orange juice carton, pouring himself a glass before returning it to the fridge.

"No, but knowing him I'm sure he just left, thinking he could make it here by 12" he said before taking a sip.

Tomoyo sighed "I guess we'll see him when he gets here then. It'll give us more time to prepare for our guests. Sakura should be leaving her place tomorrow morning and we'll meet her at the lake house" she finished cracking some eggs and was now scrambling them together in a bowl.

"She's visiting her family back home now, right?"

Tomoyo nodded, "Mhm, it's the first time she's been back in 2 years. After what happened, I can understand why"

Eriol finished his orange juice and went to the fridge to retrieve the bottle again,"I guess she'll really need this vacation then"

Tomoyo nodded again and finished scrambling the eggs, transferring them in equal portions to the two plates that were on the table while Eroil refilled his glass of orange juice and poured one for Tomoyo. She then retrieve the toast that had popped out from the toaster and placed one slice on each of their plates before joining him at the table.

"We've gotta make this the best Spring Break she's ever had." Tomoyo announced with determination in her eyes. Eriol chuckled, "Looks like you and I are going to have our hands full with our two guests this week"

Tomoyo nodded in agreement.

"When was the last time you spoke with Sakura about…" she shook her head before he could finish his question.

"We've never even really even spoken about it, to tell you the truth. After the accident, she really didn't open up to anyone and became such a workaholic that by the time I got a chance to talk to her, she seemed ok," she sighed, "But that's Sakura for ya. She likes to handle things on her own"

"I see…" Eriol said quietly.

They finished the remainder of their meal in a comfortable silence, both lost in their own thoughts.

Tomoyo was the first to stand from the table with a satisfied sigh and stretch. Eriol followed by clearing the plates and placing them in the sink

"I'm going to finish some chores around the house before Syaoran arrives. I'd much rather come back from this vacation without having to worry about tidying up before we have to go back to school." Tomoyo made her way into the living room.

"Alright, I'm going to go pick up a few things for the trip. I shouldn't be too long!" Eriol shouted after her.

He grabbed his keys from the table and headed for the door where she met him.

"I'll see you soon." She gave him a quick peck on the cheek which was returned with a smile before he left.

'Now, where to begin' Tomoyo placed a finger on her chin and thought before heading off into the direction of their bedroom.

* * *

><p>"Hooeee?"<p>

There was a loud crash as Sakura stumbled out of her bed, her sheets piled on top of her.

Touya, hearing the clamor from upstairs, shook his head and continued to read the morning paper.

"She really hasn't changed much at all, has she?" a fair haired boy that occupied the seat across form him said with a smile. Touya shook his head and laughed.

A few minutes later, Sakura came bounding down the stairs, tugging her arm through a sleeve of the shirt she was attempting to put on as she crashed into the kitchen.

"What's the hurry, little monster, slow down or you'll break the whole house" Touya said with a smirk.

Sakura hurriedly fixed her hair and straightened her clothes, "My alarm clock didn't go off. Why didn't you wake me up?" her flustered expression only amused him even more.

"What are you running late for, Sakura?"

She hadn't noticed the visitor that sat adjacent from her older brother.

"Yukito! It's been so long!" after embracing him she "accidentally" kicked her brother's chair, almost causing him to spill his tea on himself as she made her way to the fridge. He glared at her and she smirked proudly, pouring herself a glass of orange juice.

"I can't believe it's been 2 years, Sakura. I haven't seen you sinc-Ow!" he grimaced in pain and rubbed his shin where Touya had kicked him. The only explanation Yukito received was of Touya shaking his head. Yukito, taking the painful hint, silently nodded while Sakura took a seat between them, oblivious to the exchange between the two men.

"So how have you been, Yukito?" she directed a smile at him between a spoonful of cereal and a sip from her drink.

Although she was comfortable sitting next to him now, it was a different story when she was in middle school. Yukito had been Touya's best friend for as long as she could remember and during that time, she had the biggest crush on him. She eventually told him how she felt but the only feelings he would be able to reciprocate were that of a sibling.

Nearly devastated by her unrequited love, Sakura masked her feelings around him with smiles and laughter.

Touya had almost caught her crying once when the she would walk to school with him and Yukito but she managed to cover it up, telling him she'd gotten sand in her eyes because of the wind.

She would grow out of that stage in just a few years.

'But nothing could have prepared my heart for what happened after…' Sakura came out of her thoughts just in time to hear Yukito's response.

"I've been great, just busy with work. Why are you in such a rush this morning? Didn't you just get back yesterday?"He asked curiously, watching Sakura finish the bowl of cereal she'd just poured and guzzle down the remainder of orange juice.

"Mhm. I'm spending the week with Tomoyo since it's my Spring Break and I'm going to surprise her by coming a day early. I was supposed to leave an hour ago though!" She stood from the table and left her bowl and cup in the sink.

"I'll be right back!" she yelled from halfway up the staircase. Their eyes followed her as she disappeared up the stairs.

"She seems ok to me" Yukito spoke, making sure she was out of earshot. Touya folded the newspaper and placed it on the table.

"That's the problem," he started, "The only time we ever saw her down was the day of the funeral. Even when I called and told her about the accident, she didn't react the way I thought she would."

Sakura stood at the top of the stairs; she clenched the bag in her hand as she listened in on their conversation below.

"Well it has been over a year now, isn't it normal for her to have moved on and for her to be happy again?" Yukito said in a matter of fact tone.

Touya shrugged and rubbed the back of his head, "I guess but…I'm just worried about her. He was the only one that she let that close to her. For the rest of us, she put on a smile and held strong when really she—"

Her breath caught and a lump formed in her throat. This was the first time she was around when anyone openly discussed what had happened and she wasn't sure if she was ready to hear anymore. Loudly stomping down the stairs, she made sure to make her presence known and interrupted their "private" conversation.

"I'm going to head out now!" she declared, setting her bag down at the foot of the stairs and standing in the doorframe of the kitchen.

The boys exchanged looks before standing to bid farewell to her.

"It was good seeing you again, Sakura. I hope to see more of you" Yukito placed a hand on her shoulder and placed a kiss on her cheek. A light blush colored her cheeks.

"You can bet on that," she smiled before turning to face her older brother.

There was concern on his face as he placed both hands on her shoulder,

"Be safe out there, kiddo. Let me know when you make it in, ok?" Their eyes met briefly before she buried her face into him in a hug.

"I love you, Touya. & tell Dad I love him too" she mumbled. Their father had to go into the University as a guest speaker this morning for a weekend lecture. Touya stroked the back of his younger sister's head gently and kissed the top of her hair, "I love you too, Sakura and I will. Now get going, you're already late as it is"

Remembering the time, Sakura gave her brother one last hug,

"See you guys later! Don't miss me too much!" she grabbed her bag and her keys from the side table by the door.

"Have fun!" the boys shouted after her as they watched her get into her car. She waved one last time and with a honk from her horn, pulled out of their driveway and drove out of sight.

"She'll be fine, Touya" Yukito commented, ushering his friend back inside the house.

Touya closed the door and sighed. "I hope so, Yuki."

* * *

><p>"Meillliiiin!"<p>

Her eyes darted up to see the source that sang her name. She smiled and returned a wave to the two approaching figures.

"I hope you weren't waiting too long! We got caught in a little traffic"

"It's fine! I just got here a couple minutes ago" she replied cheerfully. She stood and hugged Emi who squeezed her back tightly.

"And this," she moved to the side, allowing Meilin to get a better look at the person behind her friend.

"This lovely piece a hunk is Takato!" Emi finished, latching onto the man's arm. He laughed before extending his arm, Meilin shook his hand and smiled, "It's really nice to meet you. Emi told me great things"

"Likewise. Emi just hasn't stopped talking about how great of a friend you are"

'I wonder if he knows what happened between us'

Her eyes met Emi's with a look that answered her previous question. He didn't know.

Meilin laughed softly, "I'm only returning the favor"

The trio sat down at the table Meilin had saved and shortly after, ordered their drinks and food. The café was small but already packed for the time of day it was so she'd made sure to get there early enough to save a table. Meilin had received a text from Emi this morning asking if she would meet her for lunch later that day. She agreed, mainly because she didn't really have much else to do but also because she promised to give their friendship another try.

She observed the couple in front of her. Emi hadn't let go of his arm since they'd first arrived and Tokato didn't really seem to mind at all.

"So Emi's told me that you're going to help her plan the wedding" Tokato smiled at the girl that sat across from them. Meilin laughed nervously and looked at Emi who nodded her head feverously while grinning broadly.

"Do I have a choice?"

The three laughed at her remark. "Have you guys set a date yet?" she asked.

The two looked at each other before Emi spoke "We were looking at September but our parents think it's too soon. We've only been engaged for a couple months now and they think we should wait at least a year."

Meilin nodded. "Well, in the end it's still your wedding and it should be whenever you feel comfortable having it"

"That's exactly how I feel! I'm glad someone agrees with me" Emi emphasized the word 'someone' and nodded her head towards her fiancé.

"It's not that I don't feel the way you do, we really should wait a few more months so that we can make sure we're situated. So much changes when you're married! Wouldn't you agree, Meilin?"

Meilin laughed again, "I wouldn't know but how about a winter wedding in December? Just before the New Year? It will give you 3 more months of planning and I'm sure your parents would be willing to compromise."

The couple separately analyzed her words before coming to a consensus.

"See, Tokato! Isn't she great? Syaoran better make his move before someone else swoops you up!"

Meilin blushed at her statement.

"Is Syaoran your boyfriend? I can definitely give him tips if you want him to propose soon" Tokato offered jokingly with a wink and a grin.

Meilin put her hands up in defense with laughter, "No, no. Not necessary. He's not even my boyfriend. We're just really good friends"

"Yeah, right" Emi said under her breath.

"We did talk about it though!" Meilin added quickly, causing Emi to perked up with interest.

"He's spending the week of spring break with his cousin but he said we could give it a try when he got back so…we'll see where that goes" her eyes stayed on the table.

"That's great news! I'm so happy for you! If that's the case, I'll wait for you guys to get engaged and we could have a double wedding!" Emi squealed with excitement.

"And my offer still stands! I can have him proposing in no time" Tokato added with another childish grin.

Meilin rolled her eyes but couldn't help but join in on their laughter. She could already tell that the couple in front of her was a good match. She was happy for Emi.

"I'm going to have to excuse myself for a minute" Tokato stood from his seat and walked towards the restrooms. The women nodded as he left and lapsed into comfortable conversation.

"You guys look good together" Meilin smiled

Emi sighed dreamily, "Thanks. It means a lot coming from you. I couldn't believe that I found such a good guy on my own! Rather, he found me."

"Just try not to be so clingy. Let him breathe a little. He's already proposed to you which means you really don't have anything to worry about" Meilin said in reference to her earlier observation.

Emi nodded and laughed" Gotcha! Really Meilin, where would I be without you? You saved me countless times from dating a bunch of weirdoes so knowing that you approve is a really good sign. He's so good to me"

"Like I said earlier, I'm only returning the favor" Meilin nodded with a wink as Tokato returned to the table.

There was no use being upset about what had happened between them anymore.

When Emi first informed Meilin that she was engaged she wasn't surprised at the size of the diamond on the ring even though it was exceptionally large, she was jealous and upset over the fact that the girl that had a hand in ruining her happily ever after could end up with a perfect ending. She wanted to hate Emi and her new found love but she couldn't. In all honesty, Emi really did save her from a disastrous relationship.

Was she really happy with Ryo? Sure, they'd been together for over a year but when she wasn't mad at him about his wandering eyes, it was his lack of responsibilities or his knack for being very unorganized. The list could go on.

She'd gotten so used to helping him stay organized and keep track of any important dates that it caused her to become that way with not only herself but with her friends as well.

The blame still lay with Ryo for deceiving the both of them though. It was very well known to Meilin that Emi had always been naïve when it came to boys.

This is why she was always there to help her friend avoid dating the wrong guys. She would have to get to know Tokato a little more before making a definite judgment but from her first impression, he seemed to be the perfect guy for her friend.

"Excuse me a second," Meilin said, feeling a buzzing from her purse. She stood and removed herself from the table when she realized it was Syaoran calling.

"Hey Syaoran!"  
><em>Hey Meilin, I'm sorry I didn't text you earlier. I was caught in a lot of traffic but I'm just around the corner from their house.<br>_"That's ok! I'm glad to know you made it safe though"  
><em>I'll give you a call again when I get settled in, ok?<br>_"Yeah, that's fine! Say hello to Eriol and Tomoyo for me. I'll talk to you later"  
><em>Later<br>_She ended the call and returned to the table.

"So how's your little Syaoran-bear?" Emi raised her eyebrows at her added nickname.

She ignored the nickname and just answered the question. The last thing she needed was to be getting ahead of herself again and giving him a nickname would do just that.

"He's doing fine. He finally made it to his cousin's place so he said he'll call me again later"

"Aww, that's sweet"

This comment received another playful eye roll from Meilin who was busy finishing her drink.

"We should catch a movie or something!" Tokato suggested as they stood to leave the small café. The three walked to the front and Meilin stopped.

"I'm going to have to decline but thank you," she smiled, "I've got to head home and pack. I'm spending the week with Syaoran's sisters"

"Already on good terms with the family? You're definitely on your way to becoming a misses" Tokato joked.

Emi hugged Meilin, followed by a bear hug from Tokato.

"Thanks for inviting me, Ems. We should do this more often!" Meilin said excitedly.

"Definitely! So, I'll see you in a week?" Emi replied

"Yep! You guys enjoy your movie, k?" Meilin began walking backwards in the opposite direction from where they were standing.

"You got it! Have a safe trip!" Emi shouted. And with that, Meilin gave one last wave and headed in the direction where she parked, happy and satisfied with the recent events in her life.

* * *

><p>Syaoran's car came to a stop in the driveway of a rather large, one-story house. Retrieving his bag from the back seat he swiftly made his way to the front porch. He really needed to use the restroom since he hadn't stopped at a resting area along the was already an hour past the time he said he'd be there.<p>

There was no sound of movement from within the house as he rang the doorbell for the third time. As if on cue, his phone rang and he answered it quickly.

"Hey, I'm here! Where are you?"

_Tomoyo and I went to go get the rental car_

"And you couldn't call and let me know?"

_Well you were already running late. We figured it wouldn't take that long. Plus, we knew you'd call. We left a spare key under the mat so make yourself at home. _

Syaoran had retrieved the key before his cousin finished his sentence and unlocked the door.

"Ok thanks! Bye!" he hung up the phone and ran inside in search of the closest restroom, leaving his bag at the door.

Sakura's eyes widened as she pulled up to Tomoyo's house. "Oh wow," she gasped. Although it was only a one story it was very large compared to any other she'd seen. Plus, they were only 21, to live somewhere like this just wasn't ordinary. Then again, ordinary 21 year olds didn't have a mother who owned the largest toy corporations in the country.

"Good, they're home!" she said aloud to herself as she came to a stop next to a black sedan.

She grabbed her bag from the seat next to her and leapt out of the car and walked towards the front door.

'Now, how to get inside…' spotting the mat on the floor she quickly lifted it but much to her dismay, there was nothing underneath.

"So much for a surprise, I really didn't think this through all the way" she huffed a strand of hair from her face and leaned against the door. She caught herself before she fell backwards when the door slowly opened.

With a silent fist pump she crept inside, sitting her bag down and removing her shoes.

"Hello?" she called out in a melodic voice. There was no response as she made her way further into the quiet home.

She heard movement in the hallway to the left of the front door and made her way over.

"Surprise! Guess wh-" her words caught in her throat and were replaced with a surprised yelp as she ran into someone.

In the instant that she'd seen him, she knew that his chestnut hair and amber eyes were very unfamiliar to her and she knew that Eriol and Tomoyo did not have roommates. Out of fear, she hit him as hard as he could.

"Hey! Who are-Agh!" Syaoran yelled as the unknown girl punched him in the face. He stumbled backwards holding his eye but managed to see her just as she turned around to run in the other direction. Not wanting his assailant to escape, he quickly pursued her. Catching the sleeve of her shirt he tugged her backwards causing them to collide onto the floor.

"Will you stop kicking me!" Syaoarn yelled.

"Let me go!" Sakura screamed back, still sending a barrage of kicks his way.

"You attacked me first!" he retorted. He had no intentions on hurting her. He was raised by a house hold of women, after all and he would NEVER think about harming one. He just wanted to apprehend this intruder until he was able to figure out what she wanted.

He managed to grab onto one of her ankles but lost his grip when she kicked him hard in the shoulder. She made a dash for the door. Syaoran quickly followed; He wasn't going to let her get away that easily.

Closing the gap between them in just a few strides, he managed to pull her down just as the door opened. Tomoyo and Eriol stood in the doorway and watched as Syaoran and Sakura came crashing down in front of them.

"Gotcha!" Syaoran yelled in triumph, successfully pinning her to the floor beneath him.

"Get offa me! Tomoyo, help!" the girl squirmed underneath him.

"Wait-…what?" Syaoran looked from the girl to the two speechless figures in the doorway. "You KNOW this crazy girl?" Syaoran asked incredulously.

As if snapping out of a trance, Tomoyo nodded slowly "Yeah…she's my cousin" she was still a little shocked at what had just unfolded in front of her.

"Exactly! Now, get off!" Sakura shoved Syaoran off of her and stood. "Tomoyo, please tell me you're not friends with this pyscho."

"Psycho? You're the one who punched me!" Syaoran stood and dusted himself off. Sakura retreated closer to her cousin as the couple finally entered their house.

"He's _my_ cousin," Eriol finally spoke, closing the door behind them. "Syaoran meet Sakura. Sakura this is Syaoran"

The two continued to glare at each other. Tomoyo looked between them, not knowing what to say before her eyes met Eriol's who simply shrugged.

"What a welcoming party" Sakura said under her breath.

"Heh, you're telling me?" There was still a hint of anger in his voice. He'd been assaulted and insulted in under 5 minutes. Who was she to call him crazy when she attacked him first? "If I wanted my vacation to start off like this I would've gone to stay with my sisters"

"Then go" she responded quickly.

"Alright, children, that's enough. It was just a simple misunderstanding." Eriol interjected. "Plus, we all know that spending the week with Meilin and your sisters would be-"

"Enough with the jokes, Eriol!" Syaoran's temper had risen with his cousin's last statement.

"Who said I was joking? I'm just stating what I know to be true" Eriol replied smartly. Syaoran opened his mouth to say something but stopped

"Come on guys, let's all just go get som-"

"What? Can't say what you have to say because you didn't get it checked by Meilin first? You can't even make a simple decision on your own. I was hoping this vacation would fix things" Eriol cut off his girlfriend and took a step towards Syaoran.

Sakura watched on quietly. All previous emotions gone, she now wondered just what she was getting herself into this weekend. 'So much for fun and excitement'

"Fix?" Syaoran started in a low voice. He let out a dry chuckle as he walked past the group and opened the front door. "I don't need 'fixing', Eriol." The door shut behind him without another word.

"That was a little uncalled for, dontcha think? You should go after him." Tomoyo placed a hand on his shoulder.

Eriol shook his head, "For what? It's not like he'll listen to me anyways, he's so stubborn"He made his way towards the kitchen.

"And what makes you any better?" Eriol stopped at her words, "Maybe this is who he really is now. You can't try to mold him into someone he used to be, Eriol." Picking up Sakura's bag, she motioned for her cousin to follow her through the hallway to the left, leaving Eriol alone in the front room. He sighed heavily before continuing into the kitchen.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I'm finished! ...with Chapter 5, at least. Chapter 6 is already in the works so look out for another update soon ^_^. I'm also working on another story that has a lot of promise. I probably won't post that 'til after the New Year though.<br>****S/S finally met buuut it wasn't under the best circumstances! (It'll all change next chapter though, -hinthintwinkwink-). Meilin won't be a huge part so much anymore sooo we can all settle down a little & get to the real stuff! Keep readin' & reveiwin' & i'll update as soon as possible! Have a happy holiday everyone!**

**Always,  
>-Synea K.<br>**


	6. Refreshing Beginnings

**AN: Hello there! Late, I know. Blame it on the start of the semester! …and some other story plots that have been occupying my mind. I'm hoping to post one of them soon though. As for my other story "Out Of The Blue" I probably won't be continuing that anytime soon. I had too many ideas to run with and it's sort've started dragging on in a direction that I didn't want to go in. So until I figure out the exact storyline, it's on hiatus. But here's Chapter 6! I really hope you enjoy it. Thank you once again for all of the story reviews/alerts & such! They're my motivation.**

* * *

><p>Disclaimer: I do not own Nutella! Though it's probably one of the greatest creations everrr. Oh, &amp; I don't own Card Captor Sakura, either. I do own the plot &amp; some original characters though!<p>

* * *

><p><em><span>Summary:<span>_

_Syaoran has been living a pretty comfortable life. Until a girl he meets during a spontaneous Spring Break road trip shows up on his door step a week later, turning his comfortable world upside down._

* * *

><p>"You really shouldn't let him get to you, you know?" Tomoyo scanned the contents of her pantry before grabbing 2 large bags of chips. Syaoran remained silent as he prepared sandwiches for their upcoming trip. He'd come back nearly an hour after walking out. The house was quiet when he'd walked up to the front porch but luckily, someone had put the key back under the mat. As to not disturb anyone, he decided to just sleep on the couch. Sleep hadn't come easily on the small sofa but he'd still woken up early before anyone else and by the time he finished showering and dressing, Tomoyo was already in the kitchen.<p>

"You of all people should know how to deal with him by now. There aren't too many of us who can actually tolerate his behavior. It's a gift" she laughed lightly. Out of the corner of her eye she could see a corner of his mouth twitch into a brief smile. The action was reversed as Eriol entered the room without any sort of acknowledgement towards his cousin.

"Good morning, love" kissing Tomoyo's forehead he then proceeded to pour himself a glass of water.

"Good Morning!" she responded cheerfully, returning the gesture with a smile. Tomoyo held her breath as Eriol brushed past Syaoran, making his way onto the patio.

"Hey Tomoyo, do you have anything other than peanut butter?" Syaoran asked, grabbing the last two slices of bread from the bag before sealing it.

She let out the breath and nodded, "Mhm!" returning to the pantry and sorting through items on the middle shelf she retrieved a jar of Nutella and handed it to him.

"Eriol actually suggested we buy some since he knew you weren't a big peanut butter fan. And you really love chocolate, right?" she watched his response closely. She was hoping that with the mention of that friendly gesture, he would realize that as much as Eriol may bother him, he's still his cousin and only wants the best for him.

"Thanks, Tomoyo" he nodded and proceeded to finish his sandwich without even the slightest change in attitude.

"I definitely set my sights too high with that one," she laughed quietly to herself as she left the kitchen and headed towards the guest room.

"Good Morning, Tomoyo" Sakura gave a stretch and yawn as she emerged from the guest room.

"'Mornin, to you too sleepy head!"

Sakura brought her hand to her mouth and stifled another yawn. "What time are we heading out?"

Tomoyo grabbed a towel from the linen closet in the hallway and tossed it at Sakura as she made her way to the master bedroom. "As soon as you're done so hurry up, slow poke."

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever" Sakura mumbled as she shuffled into the guest bathroom and closed the door behind her.

She scrunched her face in discontent at the sight of her brunette hair that sat messily atop her head. She hadn't really slept too well last night. The majority of her thoughts consisted of how disastrous this vacation might turn out to be but what kept her awake was a certain chestnut haired boy that she'd had the pleasure of running into. Literally. Although their first impression of each other wasn't the greatest, there was a strange presence that still lingered over her after he'd left. Her fingers once again absent mindedly caressed the bracelet that still hung from her wrist. There was something about him in the few moments that they were in the room together that was strangely familiar. Realizing her actions, she slipped off the bracelet before shaking any and all thoughts of the past and present out of her head. 'Looking forward, Sakura!' she grinned broadly before beginning to undress.

With a relaxed sigh, she allowed the warm water to rinse away any uncertainty and stress she had felt about this vacation.

"Sakura's notorious for taking long showers. I should have warned you guys, I'm sorry." Tomoyo stood nervously against the back wall, her eyes wandering over to the bathroom which was still being occupied. The tension in the room was slowly rising with every minute that Sakura stayed in there. Syaoran and Eriol stood opposite each other but both held looks of frustration.  
>The longer the two were in the room together, the more chances of their arguments increasing. Tomoyo had to nearly pry the two apart after Eriol had kicked Syaoran's bag out of the way which resulted in Syaoran lunging at him for being 'disrespectful'. She could only shake her head in her own frustration. For two adult men, they sure did act like 12 year olds.<br>So here she stood, as far away from them as possible as to not inflect any bodily harm on them for their stupid antics. She looked from Eriol and then to Syaoran and mentally laughed at herself for even thinking that she could actually physically harm them. Mid laughter, the door to the bathroom clicked open and Sakura emerged, humming a tune and combing through her damp locks with one hand while cradling her dirty clothes with the other.

"Finally!" Syaoran announced in an exasperated tone. He grabbed his duffle bag and headed out the front door.

Tomoyo quickly grabbed her cousin's hand and pulled her into the guest room.

"Thank goodness you finally came out!" Tomoyo exclaimed.

Sakura stared curiously at her cousin. Her anxiousness was alarming but quite entertaining.

"Everything ok?" she asked while stuffing the comb and her dirty clothes into the bag.

"Well we were supposed to be on the road 30 minutes ago, I'm going to have to regulate your showers and I swear the boys are going to rip each other's heads off by the end of the week" she said frantically.

Sakura laughed, "Calm down, Tomoyo. I've never seen you this worked up before. Everything will be fine"

She grabbed her bag and headed towards the door.

"See, I'm all ready and we can leave right now. And look, Boys will be boys. We just have to suffer with it and make the most of this trip, ok? Now take a deep breath"

Tomoyo followed her suggestion and laughed heartily. "I just really want this trip to be a really great one, that's all. It's been so long since me and you were able to spend some time together" she walked over to Sakura's side and took the bag from her hands despite the mumbled half-hearted decline. She smiled in return and followed behind her best friend out into the living room area.

"Well…here's hoping for the best week ever then!" Sakura cheered as the two girls took one last glance back into the empty house and closed the door behind them.

Silence.

Sakura stared at the almost invisible reflection of herself in the window. The scenery became monotonous after the first hour but it was better than trying to start up any more conversations. Each conversation had resulted in complete failure. Eriol wouldn't talk if Syaoran was included in the conversation and Tomoyo had just given up and fallen asleep after 30 minutes. Sakura took a deep breath and sighed for the umpteenth time. She'd never really been good with awkward situations and arguments so she'd always tried to avoid them. Leaning back in the chair she closed her eyes, figuring that sleeping the next hour and a half away would be a lot better than the uncomfortable silence that she was confined to at the moment.

Syaoran flipped aimlessly through his phone. He'd played every game at least 5 times and it'd only been half an hour since they started driving. He went through each one of his contacts, debating if he should delete them or not basing his decision off of the last time he'd spoken with them. His phone gave an audible beep indicating that his battery would soon be dead. He forgot to charge it the night before since things really hadn't gone all that smoothly. Turning it off, he stuffed it in his pocket and turned the volume up on his portable media player.

'At least I still have my music to keep me sane'

His eyes wandered to the side mirror where he could make out the sleeping figure seated behind him and he laughed to himself. He had to admit, their first meeting must have been very entertaining to watch. Shaking his head he settled on the pleasant thought and closed his eyes in an attempt to sleep.

"_Are…you ok?"_

_Sakura brought herself back from her thoughts as they continued the walk to her house. She nodded but kept her eyes steady in front of her. _

"_You're really quiet today. And you being quiet definitely means the end of the world!" he placed his hands behind his head and chuckled. _

_She smiled meekly at his comment but still remained speechless. She couldn't trust herself to talk right now. The unsteady speech that was sure to come out would definitely reveal that there was something bothering her but to remain silent wouldn't work in her favor either. _

_She'd made sure to walk home immediately after class, avoiding any afterschool friendly confrontations along the way but he'd managed to catch up with her on their usual walk home. Mid way through the day, she'd witnessed an event that she wished she hadn't. _

_He wasn't at the usual lunch table with their friends but she didn't want to seem overly concerned about his whereabouts so she waited until the end of the break to look for him. She spotted him in the courtyard and was a few feet away from surprising him when someone beat her to it. The intruding girl's sleek fingers laced over his eyes as she leaned against him. Sakura froze for a moment before sinking behind the nearest bush, her back to them. _

"_Guess who?" the girl giggled flirtatiously. _

"_Hmm…let me think. They say she's the most beautiful girl in the whole school…"_

_Sakura could hear the girl giggle again. Then there was that uncomfortable feeling that she'd felt whenever she'd see him with another girl. Slowly, she moved out of earshot from the couple. 'Ugh…are they a couple?' her thoughts were clouded by the continuing unsettling emotion. Was she mad at what she saw? 'I guess'. She lifted herself from the ground when she was far enough from their location. Did she have a right to be mad at the interaction? She took a deep breath before shaking her head. _

_She really had no right at all to be upset. As far as anyone and even he knew, they were just best friends. She'd made it clear to him at the beginning of the school year that she wasn't interested in anything more than friendship, 'But…' but still, the thought of seeing him with any other girl made her uneasy. The resentment of her decision to decline his feelings towards her was on a steady incline and she was reaching her breaking point. Even if she could take back her response, would it even matter? After what she'd just saw, he probably didn't even feel the same anymore. _

"_Sakura!" _

_She was snatched from her thoughts, literally, as she felt herself being tugged. She nearly stumbled into her walking companion before regaining her posture. _

"_What's with you today? We both know you're clumsy but nearly walking into an electric pole is a whole 'nother level" he laughed. His laughter subsided when he realized she hadn't joined in. _

"_Come on, Sakura, talk to me. I know something's up" he placed both hands on her shoulders making her look up from the floor. _

_Her emerald eyes met his and she was caught in a trance. His eyes held such concern that it was almost unbearable to stare into them. How could he still feel so much towards her after she'd rejected his feelings? How could he even stand to still be around her if he knew she didn't feel the same way? He was the one that apologized when she told him she wouldn't date him. How could he be so nice? They stayed this way for what seemed like more than just a single moment before Sakura fiercely shook her head and pulled away from him. _

"_I-I can't. I'm sorry!" she bolted off into the direction they were walking. _

'_Good going, Sakura! He probably won't even want to speak to you anymore after this. She was just 4 houses away from her own and she would be free to be alone and miserable in the comfort of her bedroom. _

'_Just don't look back, don't look-oh no'_

_Against her better judgment she looked back, expecting him to be long gone. She was taken by surprise when she realized he was chasing after her. _

_She used the last of her adrenaline rush to sprint the remainder of the race to her house only to be caught by her forearm. They both tumbled to the ground and rolled off to the side into her lawn. _

_Sakura's eyes remained closed as everything that had just happened caught up with her. _

"_I'm so, so sorry! I didn't mean to knock you over. I just tripped and I couldn't catch myself" he sounded frantic as he crawled over to her side. _

"_Please open your eyes" _

'_This is it. I mean, we would run into each other later anyways' she laughed to herself at the irony of the thought before opening her eyes. Blinking slowly she focused on his amber gaze. Once again his eyes were filled with a look of worry and concern that she felt she didn't deserve from him. _

_He gave a sigh of relief before lying back onto the grass. _

"_I know you're fast but did you really think you could beat me?" he laughed. _

_His laughter was met with silence. The silence sat between them for a few more moments before she finally found her words. _

"_I went to find you during lunch. I was getting a little worried when you didn't show up," she sighed before continuing. "You were with Misa though and…I didn't want to interrupt you guys so…" her words trailed off. She couldn't think of what to say next. She was never really good with expressing her feelings. _

'_I'm making a fool of myself' she brought her hands up and covered her face. _

_He chuckled lightly, "Everyone says she's the most beautiful girl in the school, huh?"_

_Sakura held her breath. She didn't think he would be this open with her about his current relationship. He turned on his side to face her and removed one of her hands from her face. _

"_And even if the whole school says that it's true" Sakura froze when he took her hand. She felt her heart rate increase and she had to take a deep breath. _

"_You're still the most beautiful girl in this world" _

_Her eyes were open wide at this point. She couldn't believe what she was hearing and she turned on her side to face him. She searched his gaze for an explanation. He smiled before standing and pulling her to her feet. _

"_Misa's a really nice girl but she's not the one for me" he dusted himself off. _

_Sakura, still in slight disbelief but ecstatic about what she was hearing flung her arms around his neck. He returned her hug and held the embrace, their heart beats syncing with the smooth rhythm of their breathing._

"_Nothing has changed, Sakura. I told you from the start that it would always be you. You're the only one for me" _

Sakura awoke abruptly to the slam of a car door. The scenery of her front yard was replaced with the tan interior of the rental truck. She rubbed her eyes and looked around. From her window she saw Syaoran's retreating figure and turned to her sleeping cousin who was mimicking her actions. "Where are we?" she mumbled.

"We're going to take a bathroom break, love. Do you need anything?" Eriol reached into a stretch from outside of the driver side.

Tomoyo shook her head, "Do you need anything Sakura?"

"No thank you, I'm fine"

Eriol closed the door and made his way to the rest stop.

"This is probably the quietest road trip I've ever taken. I'll even admit that driving with Touya for 2 hours would probably be more exciting. At least there'd be some sort of conversation" she replied dully.

"I know! It's so frustrating. I had so many cute games that we could've played to pass the time if only the boys would just cooperate!"

"Why don't we make them?" Sakura smirked.

Tomoyo raised her eyebrows, "Oh yeah? How do you suggest we do that?"

Sakura leaned into her cousin's ear and whispered her plan.

"Ohohoho!" Tomoyo laughed her trademark laughter and Sakura gave a confident smile. She knew her plan would work.

"Very simple yet very effective. Looks like my ways have rubbed off on you, Sakura" she laughed.

Tomoyo climbed into the front seat with Sakura following into the passenger seat.

"Let's park over behind those 18 wheelers! It's far enough for us to hide but close enough for us to still see what's going on" Sakura pointed.

Tomoyo nodded before starting the truck and driving towards where Sakura had directed.

"Hey Tomoyo…"

"What's up?" Tomoyo put the car in park and turned it off.

Sakura thought back to the dream she'd had earlier. She figured that telling Tomoyo about the dream would be the start of opening up completely about the last 2 years.

"I had this dream today," she started

"Wait-wait! Look! Syaoran is there and Eriol is walking up now! He should be calling me any second now" as if on cue, Tomoyo's phone began to play a tune and she looked at Sakura.

"Ready?"

Sakura nodded in agreement before picking up Tomoyo's phone. Her dream would have to wait.

"Tomoyo? Where are you guys? Where's the truck?"

The girls muffled their giggles at the frantic nature of Eriol's voice. It was funny to hear him sound so nervous. He was usually the one to stay calm and collected.

"Hi Eriol, it's Sakura. We're fine and the truck is fine too, but do me a favor and put me on speaker phone. I'd like to speak to the both of you"

Tomoyo watched as Eriol looked around for any sign of them. He said something to Syaoran before following Sakura's instructions.

"What's going on?" Syaoran questioned. Eriol shook his head and chuckled before covering the microphone on the cell phone. "I think the girls are getting back at us for being grumpy old men" he uncovered the mic and placed the phone on speaker.

"Alright Sakura, you're on speaker phone"

"So here's the deal and it's very simple. The two of you are driving us insane. I mean, really, between you and your crazy cousin, you shouldn't even be driving the car because you definitely can't be over the age of 12."

Syaoran grabbed the phone from Eriol. "Me? Crazy? You're the one that hijacked the rental car and I'm the crazy one?"

Sakura and Tomoyo both laughed aloud at Syaoran's outburst.

"Calm down, calm down. You'll sprout some greys if you keep that up, Syaoran" Tomoyo said in between her laughter.

Eriol retrieved the phone from Syaoran, "So what are the conditions?" he asked jokingly.

"Well Syaoran has to ride on the roof, for one thing and-hey! I wasn't done talking!" Sakura said into the receiver before Tomoyo took the phone off of speaker.

"Disregard that, Syaoran," Tomoyo laughed.

Eriol, sensing Syaoran's rising fury, took the phone off of speaker and took a few steps away from him.

"Just apologize to each other, already. We came on this trip to have fun and for excitement and adventure! Can we try to get back to that?" Tomoyo asked calmly.

Eriol nodded, "Yeahhh, I guess we can try that out. But it's not just up to me. I'll see what I can do" he side glanced at Syaoran who stood with his arms folded, tapping his foot in frustration. "I'll text you when we're ready" he said quickly before hanging up the phone.

Tomoyo hung up the phone and placed it back in her purse.

"So, what's the verdict?" Sakura looked in the direction of where the boys were standing.

"We wait!" Tomoyo said cheerfully.

The girls watched as the two boys walked together towards the plaza.

"Where are we going now?" Syaoran walked alongside Eriol as they made their way inside the resting area.

"To gather some ammunition, of course. They started this war but we'll finish it" he smirked.

Syaoran, slightly confused at what was going on, nodded his head slowly and followed Eriol into the convenience store.

"So how have you and Eriol been? You both seem very happy!"

"It's been great. I mean, of course we've got our ups and downs—it comes with learning how to live with someone—but we work through it" Tomoyo smiled.

"Yup! I've always said that communication is key to any happy relationship!" Sakura nodded happily.

"So have YOU been communicating with anyone recently?" Tomoyo wiggled her eyebrows.

Sakura laughed nervously, "N-not really. I've been so wrapped up with work and school and I definitely wouldn't want to make any guy face the wrath of Touya!"

The hopeful gleam in Tomoyo's eye waned but she smiled at the thought that Sakura seemed to be doing ok.

"If you say so. What did you want to tell me about earlier? You said you had a dream" Tomoyo asked.

Sakura thought for a moment before shaking her head "It's nothing. We can talk about it later!"

Tomoyo's phone buzzed from her purse and she hurriedly pulled it out. "Ok! They're ready!"

Sakura sighed in relief, 'Saved by the phone!' she cheered to herself. Tomoyo started the car and drove back to where the boys were waiting.

Eriol and Syaoran stood in front of the car, both holding small gift bags.

"Aww, what's this?" Sakura asked and nodded at the bags as she walked to the front of the vehicle.

"We're sorry for the way we've been acting so we thought we'd make it up to you guys. I hope you're not too surprised." Eriol said, looking over at Syaoran who nodded in agreement, a grin plastered to his face.

Tomoyo grabbed the bag from her boyfriend and Sakura looked between the too hesitantly before taking her bag from Syaoran's outstretched hand. The two girls glanced over at each other and began to remove the wrapping paper. Reaching the bottom at the same time, they both realized that there was nothing in there at all.

"Hey! What's this ab-"

"Say cheese!" Eriol grinned as he held up the camera on his phone. Before either of them could understand what he meant, Syaoran swiftly brought out a spray can of silly string and fired the colorful, sticky thread onto the girls. There was a flash of light as Eriol took the picture and the two boys laughed wholeheartedly while the girls screamed in surprise.

"Eriol!"

"Syaoran!"

The two girls shouted above their laughter and turned to face each other. The silly string hung in webs over their bodies, their heads covered in a neon green string that intertwined with their own hair.

"Let me help you, Sakura" Tomoyo made a gesture to remove some of the goo from Sakura's hair.

"This isn't funny!" Sakura squealed. The two girls stood in front of each other, picking out strands of the string from each other's hair, sort of in resemblance to the way primates cleaned each other's fur. The boys continued to laugh. Sakura furiously shook out her short auburn hair, running her hands through it vigorously until the last specs of neon seemed to have disappeared. For once she was happy that she kept her hair at a short length.

The same couldn't be said for Tomoyo. It would take more than finger picking and head shaking to get the small bits of silly string out from in between her long flowing locks. Sakura couldn't help but laugh as her cousin continued her attempt of cleaning out her hair.

Tomoyo glared at Sakura before her mouth cracked into a smile. Realizing the hilarity of the situation, the girls joined in on the boy's laughter.

"So I take it you've both worked out your differences?" Sakura folded her arms across her chest and leaned against the car. Syaoran leaned next to her on the car and folded his arms behind his head. "Yeah, I guess so" he shrugged.

Sakura peered up at him. His eyes were closed and he had a content look upon his face. She quickly looked away just as his eyes opened and stood up straight, stretching her arms above her head.

"You can't be mad at me forever, Tomoyo. You even thought it was funny too" Eriol pleaded as he continued combing through his significant others hair.

"You can make it up to me by getting every last bit out on the rest of the ride. Syaoran, you're driving!" Tomoyo tossed Syaoran the keys. Eriol gave a defeated sigh and followed her into the backseat of the truck.

Sakura and Syaoran looked at each and shared a shrug before taking the remaining seats in the vehicle.

"Does anyone need anything else?" Syaoran said as he buckled his seat belt and placed the keys in the ignition. There was a simultaneous reply of "No" before he started the ignition. Sakura smiled and reclined her seat, enjoying the change in atmosphere within the vehicle.

A loud gurgling noise cut through the peaceful aura, causing spurts of laughter from 3 out of the 4 passengers. Sakura looked down at her stomach in embarrassment and laughed, "I guess I could go for a snack or something".

Tomoyo reached into the lunch bag in the trunk area and grabbed the bag of sandwiches that Syaoran had prepared earlier that day.

"One for you, one for me, here's yours Syaoran and one for you, Sakura!" Tomoyo distributed the wrapped items one by one to each passenger.

Sakura unwrapped the tinfoil and quietly blanched, rewrapping the packaging. "Bleh, peanut butter. Sorry, I can't stand this stuff. Here, Tomoyo. I'll just wait until we get to the lake house." She said while passing the sandwich back.

"I'm sorry! I forgot that you never really like it" Tomoyo frowned and took the sandwich from her.

"It's fine!" Sakura waved it off and nodded with a smile. She turned back around in her seat and sighed.

"You can have half of mine," Syaoran offered. Holding the wheel with one hand and attempting to cut his sandwich in half with the other.

Sakura put her hands up to decline, "No, no, it's fine!" Syaoran had already managed to unevenly rip the sandwich in two and held out one of the pieces to her.

"I don't like peanut butter either, so I made mine with Nutella instead" he kept his eyes on the road but continued to hold the sandwich out to her.

Sakura tentatively took her half, which she realized was actually more than half of the sandwich, but decided not to mention anything.

"Thanks" she said before taking a bite and continuing her gaze outside of the window. 'He's not so bad after all'

* * *

><p>"We're heeeeere!" Tomoyo announced in a melodic tone. Somewhere between playing eye-spy, the license plate game and name that tune, Sakura fell into a light slumber, awaking once again to the sound of Tomoyo's excitement.<p>

She fumbled with her seatbelt and slid out onto the leaf covered ground.

Finally adjusting to her surroundings she gasped. They were encircled by rows upon rows of towering trees that strewn multicolored leaves onto the ground. Spring hadn't quite made its mark yet and the last bit of winter shown through with a radiance of colors and a smooth gentle breeze.

"Tomoyo this place is so beautiful!" Sakura exclaimed! Her eyes lit up as she twirled in a circle, marveling at the beauty of the environment. She stopped herself and examined the front of the lake house.

Although it was very aged, Tomoyo's parents had made sure to have continuing maintenance done every year in order to preserve their favorite vacation home.

Syaoran and Eriol worked on unloading the back of the truck while Sakura and Tomoyo took pictures of themselves against the beautiful natural background.

"Wasn't she just sleeping? How does she have so much energy?" Syaoran questioned as Eriol removed the last bag from the back and shut the door.

Eriol simply smiled and shrugged, picking up his and Tomoyo's bags and heading towards the front of the house.

"We have to take a picture before we go on!" Sakura shouted. She ran to where Syaoran stood with the remaining bags and grabbed her duffle bag from him. The shift in balance caused him to nearly stumble but he managed to catch himself before falling.

"Sorry!" Sakura apologized without any real indication of concern. She pulled a tripod out from the bottom of her bag and proceeded to set it up in front of the house.

"I see another one of my traits has rubbed off on you, Sakura!" Tomoyo said cheerfully. Sakura finished setting up the tripod and retrieved the camera from around Tomoyo's neck.

"Can't we finish putting the bags inside first and then take the picture" Syaoran shifted a bag on his shoulder and shuffled towards the front door.

Sakura caught him by the wrist and dragged him backwards, "No, no! We have to do it now before the sun goes down any further!"

Sakura slid the bags off of his shoulders and positioned him in front of the camera. "You stay here! Eriol & Tomoyo, you guys stand right here"

The couple walked to where she pointed and took their spots. Sakura ran over to the tripod and set the timer on the camera.

"I'm going to set it for 10 seconds, ok? And it's going to take 3 pictures with 3 seconds in between each capture. The first one we'll keep it normal, for the 2nd picture let's all make funny faces and for the 3rd one-"

"Sakura!"

Her three friends shouted in unison.

"Fine, fine. We'll figure it out." She sighed before setting the timer and pressing the button.

She skipped back over to the group and took her spot in between Tomoyo and Syaoran.

"5, 4, 3, 2"

The 4 of them put on their best "Normal" faces: Sakura and Tomoyo smiled brightly while and Eriol and Syaoran both maintained neutral, slightly smiling faces. The first flash went off and Sakura held her hands up to her cheeks and made a balloon face, Tomoyo and Eriol pretended to pick each other's noses with while Syaoran held his hands up in a mock shrug and put on a goofy smile. The camera flashed again and they readied themselves for the 3rd frame. With a quick glance between each other, Sakura and Tomoyo reach over to the two boys on either side of them and proceeded to tickle them. The camera flashed as a surprised Syaoran and Eriol let out bursts of confused laughter at the sudden tickle attack.

"That's for the silly string attack!" the two girls shouted as they high-fived each other. Tomoyo ran up the 3 steps and unlocked the door. Eriol laughed and picked up the bags, following behind Tomoyo into the house.

"Could you have been gentler, at least? I think you bruised my stomach" Syaoran feigned injury.

Sakura grabbed her bag and brushed by him. She walked up to the third step and looked back at.

"Man up!" she said over her shoulder with a cool look upon her face before walking through the front door.

Syaoran raised his eyebrows and smiled sheepishly as he retrieved the remaining bags at his feet and followed behind her.

They walked into the open area of the front room. Off to the sides were hallways which contained their bedrooms and straight in front of them was an open kitchen. Three steps led down into the living room and the sliding glass door at the rear of the house displayed a large back area with a fire pit just feet away from the pier that stretched out into the placid lake. "Sakura, your room is going to be the 2nd one on the left right down that hallway and Syaoran your room will be the third door on the right side of the hall. Eriol and I are going to take this first bedroom here, ok?" The two brunettes nodded as they continued to examine the interior and headed off into their assigned rooms.

Sakura tossed her bag onto the bed and sat down next to it. Throwing herself back onto the sheets, she stared at the ceiling and stretched. It felt so good to finally be out of the car and she'd felt her body sink into the comfort of the room. There was a light knock on the door and she sat up.

"Eriol and I are going to go into the town and grab some fire wood. Do you need anything?"

Sakura stood from the bed and smiled.

"Actually," in a few brief steps she'd made it across the room and stood in front of her favorite cousin. Sakura pulled Tomoyo into a tight embrace. "Thank you, Tomoyo"

Tomoyo, chuckled and returned the hug. "No problem, Sakura. I'm really glad you came" she whispered.

Sakura had truly meant it. It was about time she did something exciting again. Tomoyo had always known just when to reach out to her and she was truly grateful to have such a wonderful person as not only her best friend, but as a member of her family.

The two girls embraced for another moment before parting.

"We'll be back in about 20 minutes or so! We'll bring food too since there probably isn't any here. Don't get into any trouble while I'm gone, ok?" Tomoyo teased. Sakura nodded and stuck her tongue out as the front door closed behind them.

She walked into the kitchen and immediately opened the fridge only to be disappointed. 'Tomoyo DID say that there wasn't any food' she thought as she rubbed her grumbling belly and grabbed a decided to just drink a cup of water. She walked through the downstairs living room and examined the photographs around the room. Many were of their mothers when they were younger and of the two girls when they were growing up. Sakura and Tomoyo's mothers were best friends throughout high school so of course the two girls would naturally turn out to be really close. Sakura walked towards the sliding glass door, spotting Syaoran in walking towards the end of the pier.

Syaoran sat down at the edge of the pier, his legs hanging over the edge. He opened the soda he found in the fridge and took a gulp before taking a deep breath. He sat his beverage down next to him and lay backwards, crossing his hands behind his head. The sky was a melting pot of orange and red hues, blending together was the sun began its descend. The chilly wind whipped as his bare arms but he really didn't mind it at all. It had been a very long time since he was able to just relax in an environment like this one. It reminded him of when he was younger. He would finish up his martial arts practice and Wei, his family's personal assistant, would always take him down to the nearest lake to feed the ducks before the sun set. He smiled, Wei had always been more than just an assistant. Although there was a definite age gap, they had become friends, almost to the point of father and son. Syaoran's real father was always busy with work though he never resented him. He understood the importance of their family's company and was content in knowing that his father was working hard in order to provide for their family.

"What a day, right?"

Syaoran sat up at the sound of Sakura's voice. She looked down at him before taking a seat next to him. She reached towards the sky and brought her arms back down into a self-hug.

"It feels so great to be away from school and work and the rest of the world doesn't it? And this place is just…wow" she leaned back on the pier to soaked in the remaining rays of sun.

"Mhm," Syaoran nodded in agreement and took another sip from his soda. From the corner of his eyes he examined her. She held an air of innocence as her lips danced into a smile and she hummed quietly to herself, rocking slowly to the tune. He laughed inwardly at how calm she seemed compared to when he'd first met her and when they took the picture earlier that day.

"I'm really glad that you and Eriol made up again" Sakura said after a few minutes of silence between them. She lay her back onto the pier and Syaoran followed. He turned his head to look at her only to see that she was doing the same and she smiled.

Syaoran sat up swiftly, rubbing the back of his head. His cheeks felt hot after her friendly gesture. 'Geez, Syaoran. She only smiled at you'

"Yeah, I guess. You'd think I'd be used to him by now after all these years." The two laughed lightly.

"It really wasn't always this way. Lately he's just been getting on my case about how I'm not fun anymore and how Meilin seems to control my life. Honestly, I just pretend not to be annoyed by him because I know he won't be able to get a rise out of it" he smiled smugly into the water below.

Sakura laughed at his last comment.

"So who's Meilin? Is she your girlfriend" Sakura pried, leaning her head forward to get a better look at his face.

Syaoran noticed this but kept his eyes glued to the water. "Shes…a really good friend of mine. Sort of like a little sister" he scrunched his face at his last statement. There was no hesitation when he'd said it and the thought lingered with him a little longer. Was Meilin really more like a sister to him?

Sakura leaned away from him and back onto her elbows "I see,"

"Is she boring?" her curiosity seemed so genuine and adolescent.

Syaoran let out another chortle, "I wouldn't say she's boring. She just lives her life a little different from everyone else. I guess to Eriol, have your day planned out in an orderly way isn't fun" he joked.

Sakura found herself laughing again at his comment, "Tomoyo can probably straighten him out. She's loads of fun but when it comes down to business, she's a monster!" they laughed conjointly once again. The two of them both sighed deeply. It was a refreshing to be able to just talk to someone without having to worry about sparking an argument.

"So, what about you?"

"Me? Well I don't really have any problems with Tomoyo. She's been really anxious and just wants to make sure this trip runs smoothly since we haven't really spent time together in a while!" Sakura quickly explained.

Syaoran laughed, "That's good to know. But I was asking if you had anyone special in your life?"

"Oh!," Sakura laughed with realization, "Well…no, not really" her cheeks flushed and her fingers absentmindedly played with the heart pendent on her wrist.

Syaoran's eyes flickered down to her wrist to where her hand was protectively wrapped around the bracelet but he didn't feel it was his place to ask about it. He took a deep breath and returned his gaze to the waters below.

"Ya know, you don't seem so bad" Her legs swung back and forth from the end of the dock in a child-like manner.

Syaoran averted his gaze from his reflection to look at her.

"Everyone's got a little excitement in them—they just need the right moments to bring it out!" she continued, her emerald eyes seemed to sparkle even more between the sun and the reflected water below.

They sat in silence before he stood from where he sat beside her and jogged towards the entrance of the pier.

"Where are you going?" she shouted

Turning from where he stopped he flashed a boyish grin.

Realization dawned on her as he ran at full speed back towards the end of the dock, tugging his shirt off over his head.

"Syaoran, it's like 60 degrees!" she warned.

Her words were inaudible as he leapt from the pier."Bonzai!"

A moment later there was a muffled scream and a subsequent splash as he emerged on the surface of the water. She emerged a moment later, catching her breath.

"Bonzai?" she questioned, her eyebrows raised.

"Better than screaming like a little girl" he said in between breaths.

"Hey! I am a girl but I'm not little" she exclaimed with emphasis on 'not'. She sent a barrage of splashes in his direction.

He dove under water, coming up just under her so that she sat upon his shoulders. She let out a yelp as he tilted her backwards sending her crashing back into the water.

"Syaoran! You're gonna get it now!" she sputtered, reemerging on the surface and swimming towards him. They continued to splash their way back to the shore, laughter piercing the quiet night.

* * *

><p>"Are you sure you don't want me to grab you a blanket?" Tomoyo looked concerned as Sakura sneezed for the 3rd time. The 4 of them had just finished dinner and decided to sit around the fire pit and roast marshmallows.<p>

Sakura waved her off, "No, no. I wouldn't want you to get up again. I'll be fine once the fire gets going" she prepared herself for another sneeze and was handed a tissue. She quickly grabbed it but no sneeze ever came. She nodded a thanks at Syaoran who was sharing the log with her. He went back to helping Eriol with the fire which they finally managed to get started after 10 minutes of working at it. The two boys reclined back onto the logs as the fire began to grown.

Sakura sneezed again into the tissue Syaoran had given her. Tomoyo giggled, "I guess jumping into the lake wasn't the best idea you've had, huh?"

Sakura sniffled and the group laughed. "It's his fault! He did it first," Sakura defended.

"If I jumped off a bridge, would you have followed me?" Syaoran laughed.

"If you were there to catch her at the end!" Tomoyo chimed in.

"Shut up, Tomoyo!" Sakura blushed. She couldn't help that she was such a hopeless romantic.

"Really?" Syaoran raised one eyebrow at the girl that shares his log.

Sakura glared at him, "No. Tomoyo's just thinks I'm a sucker for love stories and happy endings" she muttered.

"Then you'll be ok if we exchange ghost stories?" Eriol asked, passing around the roasting sticks and a bag of marshmallows.

"No!" Sakura and Tomoyo both yelled. The boys were taken aback by their sudden outburst.

"I may pick on her but she's absolutely terrified of ghosts"

Sakura gave a relieved sigh with Tomoyo's interjection.

The two boys looked at each other and rolled their eyes.

"I guess we can talk abou-" Syaoran was cut off by another powerful sneeze from Sakura. He handed her another tissue and stood from his spot before draping the blanket he'd had for himself over the two of them. Sakura who was a little surprised by his gesture muttered a quiet 'thank you' without any other thoughts or comments.

"I guess we can talk about what we're going to be doing for the week then" he continued.

Eriol and Tomoyo exchange quick glances and grinned at each other.

"Well what sort of suggestions do you have?" Eriol asked, pushing his glasses back up onto his nose.

"I don't know, I was hoping you'd know since you're the exciting one" Syaoran said slyly. Sakura nudged him with her foot which earned her a returned nudge and a glare from Syaoran.

Tomoyo stifled a giggle and Eriol cleared his throat, "Now children, it's not time to be playing footsies. We've got a vacation to plan" it was his turn to smile slyly.

"Shut up!" the two brunettes folded their arms across their chest and stared off into opposite directions.

"Now then. Where were we?" Eriol continued.

Sakura tried her hardest to keep her eyes from closing. She'd even found herself roasting and eating most of the marshmallows just to try to keep awake but her plan must have backfired. Her head bobbed slowly onto Syaoran's shoulder and she felt it slump a little beneath the weight of her head.

Syaoran adjusted his shoulder to make sure Sakura's head was comfortable while he discussed an idea with Tomoyo and Eriol.

"I guess we should finish this in the morning," Tomoyo pointed towards Sakura with a whisper. The two boys nodded and Eriol began the process of putting out the fire. Tomoyo gathered the remaining items from around the pit and Syaoran slowly stood, with a sleeping Sakura leaning onto his shoulder.

"I'm not sleepy, I promise" she mumbled almost incoherently. As if realizing her contradiction, Sakura's eyes opened and she looked up at the owner of the arm that was holding her, immediately stepping away timidly.

"Sorry about that. Guess I was more tired than I thought" she yawned.

"How much of the conversation did you miss?" Syaoran questioned as the group made their way back into the house.

Sakura shrugged, "I don't know. Pretty much all of it" she laughed to herself.

"Good! Then tomorrow morning, you'll be in for a surprise"

"Hoee? What do you mean in for a surprise? Tomoyo, Eriol? What are we doing tomorrow?" Sakura looked between the three of them.

"Oh nothing," Tomoyo sang. "Good night you guys! See you bright and early!"

Eriol nodded with a wave in their direction and continued into their bedroom. Syaoran made his way down the rest of the hall. "Syaoran! Tell me!" Sakura ran up behind him and he stopped, causing her to run into his back.

"You'll see in the morning. Now get some sleep" he placed his hands upon her shoulders and turned her towards the door to her room before continuing to his.

Syaoran reached his room and turned back to see Sakura still standing at her door with a pout.

"Sleep!" he commanded jokingly and pointed at her. She gave a frustrated sigh before opening her door.

"Fine. Goodnight, Syaoran!" she said glumly.

He shook his head and laughed lightly, "Goodnight, Sakura"

"Interesting turn of events today!" Tomoyo said through a yawn as Eriol climbed into the bed next to her. She snuggled closer into him and he draped an arm around her so her head was nestled into his neck.

"The two of them are so cute, don't you think?" she asked, clearly smiling. Eriol nodded and pecked Tomoyo lightly on her forehead.

"Our plan will work out after all" she finished before giving another yawn and drifting into sleep. Eriol smiled and nodded again, too tired for words, before joining her in sleep.

"_You have 3 unheard messages. First message: 'Hey Syaoran, I was just calling to check up on you since I hadn't heard from you. Give me a call back, k?'_

_To delete this message, press-"_

Syaoran pressed the number 7 before the operator could finish and listened to the last two messages, repeating the process. He opened a new text message and typed quickly that he would call her in the morning before closing his phone and connecting it to the charger. He placed his hands over his face and he took a deep breath. The thought of calling Meilin hadn't even crossed his mind at all today. Instead he couldn't help but think about how much fun he'd been having, even if they hadn't done anything at all. He replayed today's events in his head before beginning to drift off to sleep. A certain brunettes smile shone brightly in his mind as he fell into unconsciousness.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: TADA! I hope there aren't too many errors or anything. I wrote the first 2 pages before New Year's and wrote the other 9 between yesterday &amp; this morning. ^_^. I really hope you enjoyed it! NOW…we can finally get to the good stuff. (I know, I say that all the time haha) Since I have Friday's off, I'm going to just use the day for writing and gaming (gotta beat FFXIII before the new one comes out!). :P. Stay tuned for new chapters and new stories &amp; Don't forget to leave me your thoughts &amp; comments!<strong>

**Always,**

**Synea K.**


	7. Made For Each Other

**EDIT: THIS CHAPTER HAS BE RE-WRITTEN..just a little bit. Hope you enjoy the changes!**

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><p>AN: Agghh….life is so aggravating when it comes in the way of writing my stories lol :P. But I'm glad I was finally able to finish this chapter. Honestly, it was really hard writing this one because I kept changing up the ideas and then I hit a major writers block but everything is running smoothly again &amp; I'm really excited about where the story is going. These next few chapters won't be as long as the initial ones but I'll try my best to keep them interesting!<p>

To answer a few questions:

**deadflo**: If you were asking if Sakura & Syaoran were childhood friends. Nope! You'll get the full story of this mystery man soon enough. He's going to come up a few times during Spring Break but the full story won't be known until later on (I have it planned out already ^_^)

**Vedha: **ehh…Syaoran's mood isn't super grumpy-to-happy or anything. I'm still getting a grasp on how I want his personality to be but it's coming together!

Thank you to all of my subscribers & for the latest reviews**, deadflo, vedha**, **JamesBirdsong, Saki-Hime, moon86, moonPrincess623 & RJOHNNiiE! **

You guys really motivate me and make me super happy!

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><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong>

**I do not own any of the CCS characters - CLAMP has that right. [I do own this plot and a couple original peeps though^_^]**

* * *

><p><em><span>Summary:<span>_

_Syaoran has been living a pretty comfortable life. Until a girl he meets during a Spring Break road trip shows up on his door step a week later, turning his comfortable world upside down._

* * *

><p>"Are we there yet?" Sakura droned from the back of the truck.<p>

"Almost." Eriol responded robotically, his eyes remaining on the road in front of him.

"How much longer will it be until we get there?" she whined again.

"We're only a few minutes away, Sakura, just sit tight."

"…Says the person without a blindfold." Sakura turned her head and aimed her statement at Tomoyo.

"If you keep whining, we'll leave it on all day. It's your fault for falling asleep last night."

Sakura let out a frustrated grunt, "You guys are so mean! You should've woke me up!"

Syaoran looked into the side mirror at the blindfolded brunette behind him and chuckled. This morning, Eriol and Tomoyo had decided to blindfold Sakura during the entire trip as a surprise. Initially, he didn't see the point since she'd be surprised when they got there anyways but he couldn't help but realize that it was all just part of the fun. He wasn't usually one for surprises, receiving them or giving them but that's exactly what this trip was turning out to be. Every day so far had brought out something different in him and he was beginning to surprise even himself.

Sakura crossed her arms over her chest and turned her head to face the window. Other than the newly risen sun and a few shadows here and there, she was unable to make out just where they were headed.

"Hey guys, I have an idea. Let's play 'I Spy'! Let's see…I spy with my little eye, something….dark" Sakura said sarcastically.

Tomoyo giggled at her cousin's dry humor, "We're almost there, I promise!"

"Yeah, you've been saying that for the las—"

Loud music cut her off and engulfed the vehicle.

"That's not funny, Syaoran! You can't drown me out, you know! I'll just sing along to every word of every song that comes on!" Sakura yelled over the blaring sound and proceeded to sing along to the current song that was playing. Eriol glanced in the rearview mirror and locked eyes with a smiling Tomoyo whose quiet laughter couldn't be heard over the blend of music and Sakura's singing. Syaoran rubbed his temples in defeat.

Sakura smiled inwardly as she sang loudly to the current song that was playing. She knew she was being unreasonably annoying but she couldn't help but get them back for not including her in the plans.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

"Are you sure you don't need my help today?" Touya stood in the doorway of the petite flower shop. Yukito proceeded to open the remaining blinds allowing the sunlight to cascade throughout the room and turned back to face his companion.

"It's fine! I know you have a lot to get done today and Mizuki said that business would probably be slow so there's no need for the both of us to be here." he smiled and continued walking towards the door.

Touya looked around the room, taking in his surroundings. Since he and Yukito were in high school they'd been helping Ms. Mizuki maintain this flower shop as well as her family's shrine. Spring Break meant that all of her regular employees had requested time off and since the schools were closed for the week, Touya and Yukito would also have more free time. Following graduation from the university, the two friends worked as a History professor and Guidance counselor respectively throughout the elementary, middle and high schools in the area.

"It's kind of funny that it's been nearly 10 years and we're still coming back to work at this flower shop." Touya sighed.

Yukito nodded in agreement with a smile as he flipped the sign on the door to signal that the store was now open.

"Some things just aren't meant to change." He whispered, stepping outside to admire the little shop.

Surrounding the frame of the door were vibrant green imitation vine flowers and along the sidewalk were a couple of flower pots that contained just a small variety of the flowers that could be found inside. It was a petite little store but compared to the larger, surrounding shops, it shown radiantly.

"Well, I'm going to head out then. Looks like you've got your first customers pulling up now." Touya nodded his head in the direction of a car that was currently parking in a spot in front of the store.

"See ya later, Touya!" Yukito waved as his friend walked off into the direction of his own vehicle.

"Call me if you need anything!" Touya replied over his shoulder and disappeared around the corner.

"Hey, your store is open, right?" A man shouted from the driver's side of the car. He leaned against the door with half of his body outside of the car.

Yukito turned his attention to the man and replied with a smile, "Yup! Just opened." The man ducked back into the car for a moment, talking to his passenger. With a shrug and a shake of his head, the man closed the car door and approached the shop. He stood about the same height as Yukito and Touya with slightly tousled black hair. His eyes were masked by a pair of black sunglasses but he wore a cool expression on his face.

"What can I do for you?" Yukito gave a pleasant smile.

"Well I'm not from around here but my fiancée says you're the best flower shop in town. We came together to pick out some flowers but…she's acting weird and won't get out of the car." the man shrugged sheepishly and removed his sunglasses, hooking them to his shirt. Yukito's gaze found its way to the parked car and the passenger inside of it. The windows were heavily tinted but he could just make out a figure sitting in the passenger seat.

'_Girls sure are strange!' _he thought with a small chuckle.

"I don't know, I think she's just anxious about being back in town. It's been a while." the man added.

"I see," Yukito started and turned back to the man. "So what's the special occasion?" he smiled and gestured for him to walk inside the shop.

"We're getting married and so we came to visit her family for some arrangements," he said as his eyes glanced around the shop, admiring the various flowers and plants that were artistically placed around the room.

"Oh! So you're here to pick out flowers for your wedding?" Yukito pushed his glasses up onto his nose and smiled again.

The man's gaze fell to the floor as he shook his head solemnly, "Not quite...we're actually here to pick out flowers to pay respects. My fiancee lost someone really close to her a couple of years ago."

Yukito frowned and gave an understanding nod, "I am truly sorry for her loss. I have a friend who's like a little sister to me…she went through the same thing."

There was a moment of understanding between them and they sat in silence for a few seconds before the man spoke , "My condolences to your friend."

Yukito nodded, "I hope I can help your fiancée find the perfect flowers."

The man nodded in approval, returning the friendly gesture.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

"Hey…why'd you turn the music off? I love that song!" Sakura exclaimed.

"Because you're singing was driving me cra-"

"Because we're here!" Tomoyo sang excitedly, cutting off Syaoran's remarks.

"Then get me out of this thing!" Sakura nearly tugged the blindfold off her face with excitement.

"No, no, no! Not yet! I'll let you know when you can take it off." Tomoyo quickly said, taking hold of Sakura's hands and stopping her from removing the cloth.

"I'll come around and help you out." Tomoyo opened her door and hopped out of the truck, running around to Sakura's side.

Syaoran removed himself from the vehicle and stretched before meeting Eriol at the front of the truck.

"So how did you guys find this place?"

Eriol leaned back against the hood, "Tomoyo used to take riding lessons here when she was younger."

Syaoran nodded curtly and looked back to see what the girls were up to. "Those two are definitely something else," he stated. Eriol looked back to watch them as well. "Yeah, they're practically each other's better half. They complement each other in a way that no man will ever be able to." He laughed, his hand ruffling the back of his neat hair. Syaoran raised his eyebrows, "Really? I'd say that you and Tomoyo are pretty well matched."

Eriol shook his head with a smile, "Of course. There are just some things I'll never be able to understand about her though and I'm perfectly content with that. I know enough about her to know that I love her."

Syaoran responded with silence, glancing over to his cousin who kept his eyes glued to his girlfriend.

"And Sakura?" Syaoran inquired. He'd been curious as to why someone like her was still single or at least seemed like she wasn't seeing anyone. Sure, half of the trip he spent annoyed by her but for the most part she didn't bug him all that much. She was actually somewhat of a change of pace from the usual. His thoughts roamed to Meiling and a tinge of guilt hit him. He hadn't spoken to her let alone thought about calling her in the last couple of days. He shook his head, he'd never hear the end of it for her and he mentally made a note to call her later in the evening. Eriol continued to look at the two girls before responding to his cousins question, "Sakura's been through a lot. It still amazes me how far she's come." He finished quietly. Syaoran turned to his cousin with a quizzical expression but was stopped short before he could ask any more questions, "It's too complicated to get into right now." Eriol added as he stood from his leaned position and walked towards the girls. Syaoran looked from Eriol's retreating figure to the auburn-haired girl that stood just a few paces away, Eriol's words floating through his thoughts.

"You should head over there to see if everything is ready!" Eriol shouted over his shoulder, pointing towards a large red barn. Syaoran snapped out of his thoughts and looked to the direction where Eriol had gestured. A short walk away was a large rust colored barn. He turned back momentarily to the rest of the group watching as Eriol interacted with the girls before walking off into the direction of their final destination.

Sakura slid out of her chair with the help of Tomoyo and reached into a stretch. "It feels so great to finally be able to feel my legs again" she joked.

"It wasn't that long of a ride and trust me, you're gonna wish you were still sitting in that chair after today's activities!"

"Ok, now I'm worried" Sakura leaned back against the vehicle, using her fingers to feel for the door handle.

Eriol placed a hand on Sakura's shoulder, "Don't worry about it so much! You guys ready?"

Tomoyo nodded excitedly followed by a weary nod from Sakura. Taking her arms between their own, Tomoyo and Eriol walked alongside Sakura.

"Eriol, what's that smell?" Sakura crinkled her nose, causing Eriol to laugh.

"You'll see…Ready?"

Sakura nodded slowly.

Eriol pulled the blindfold from Sakura's eyes and stepped to the side of her, all the while, a smirk dancing across his lips.

Sakura's eyes widened in an unreadable expression. Behind Eriol were 4 very large but very beautiful horses. Their tails swung back and forth as if to their own melody.

Sakura took a few cautious steps towards the large animals as Tomoyo and Syaoran, accompanied by a middle-aged woman, returned from the back of the barn carrying riding equipment.

"I can assure you they won't bite." Sakura looked over to the woman who spoke to her.

Tomoyo clapped her hands together and skipped over to her cousin, "Sakura, this is Ms. Megumi! She's a close friend of my mother. When I was younger my parents would bring me here for equestrian lessons!"

Sakura smiled towards the woman, "It's very nice to meet you."

"Like wise" Ms. Megumi said, returning the smile.

"I've never been this close to a real horse before!" Sakura exclaimed in a whisper as she approached the one second from the left. Its coat was a milk-chocolate color with an assortment of white spots. The horse shifted its weight and let out a soft whinny as Sakura placed her hand onto its cheek.

Sakura laughed excitedly and looked back at the group as the horse continued its cheerful whinny. Tomoyo of course, was using her cellphone to record this new exchange.

With the other three in the group successfully mounted onto their horses, Sakura stood next to the spotted one while Ms. Megumi stood in front of it stroking its fur and making clicking noises with her tongue.

"You should be able to get on, Sakura. He's newly trained but she's safe. Just put your foot in the stirrup and push yourself over."

Sakura nodded and proceeded to unsuccessfully mount her horse.

"Here, let me help you."

Before she could protest, Syaoran was off of his horse and at Sakura's side, causing a slight blush to tint her cheeks.

"Hold the reins in your left hand and grab a hold of the horse's mane." He said gently. There was an unreadable expression on his face as Sakura looked from him to the horse. He was acting way too nice. It wasn't a bad thing…just different. Syaoran took notice of her gaze and quickly looked back at the horse.

"Grab his mane? I don't want to hurt hhim," Sakura said quickly.

"Oh trust me, hun, it won't hurt him one bit. " Ms. Megumi assured.

Sakura nodded cautiously at Ms. Megumi and then followed Syaoran's instructions.

"Ok, now put your left foot into the stirrup and on the count of 3 I'll help boost you up. "

Sakura did as he said and waited on his count.

"1….2…..3!"

On 3 Sakura lifted her right leg and with the support from Syaoran was boosted onto the horse. Sakura clung to the horse's mane and let out a sigh of relief. "I never realized how huge horses are!" she exclaimed, releasing her grip from the creature's neck.

Syaoran effortlessly remounted his horse and laughed at her comment. "Well what did you expect? It's a horse, not a pony." He said slyly. Sakura shot him a glare and stuck her tongue out at him. '_I knew his kindness was too good to be true' _she made a mental note. Her actions only caused the grin on his face to become more smug. Tomoyo rolled her eyes at their actions, "Stop flirting, you two." She said swiftly.

Sakura scoffed, "Pssh…as if. I'd gladly flirt with my horse friend here, before I thought about flirting with him." Sakura retorded.

"I'd really like to hear your pick up line for him. 'Wow, Mr. Horse. You're so bi-'"

"Ms. Megumi, would you mind…" Tomoyo interrupted the remainder of Syaoran's comment with a loud, nervous laugh.

She held out her camera phone. "Gladly, Ms. Tomoyo."

She stood back from the group and held up the camera.

"Everyone, smile!" she exclaimed before taking their picture and handing the phone back to Tomoyo.

"Well aren't you 4 the cutest couples I've ever seen?" said with a wink and a grin.

"Oh we're not together!" Sakura and Syaoran said simultaneously, their hands rising in defense.

"What a shame then," Ms. Megumi placed her hand upon her cheek and folded her other arm across her chest. "Well you better get going then! Ms. Tomoyo knows this path better than anyone I've ever known so you're safe in her hands!" she gave a wave as she headed back into the farmhouse.

Tomoyo nodded with confidence and looked between her friends with a glint of suspicion in her eye,

"You guys ready to ride?" she announced, turning her head back to face forward. Without hesitation, Tomoyo whipped her reins, her horse racing off. Eriol let out an amused laugh and followed suit.

A silence, much like the dirt that was kicked up into the air, settled between the reaming two.

"We don't have to…I mean, I don't know how to…" Sakura stammered.

Syaoran shook his head, meeting her gaze with the same bewildered expression and they both laughed.

"Well then…shall we?" Syaoran asked, easing his horse forward with a light tap from his reins.

Sakura mimicked his actions and her horse started into a trot beside his.

"How far do you think they'll get before they realize they've left us behind?" Sakura laughed.

Syaoran shrugged his shoulders, "Who knows? Guess we're on our own."

"Yeah, but it shouldn't be too hard to follow the trail."

"I'd hope not. It seems to just be a straight line, after all." Syaoran commented, nodding towards the worn out trail that they were following. He glanced out the corner of his eye in time to see Sakura glaring at him, a smirk forming upon his lips.

"Oh, whatever!"

The land around them was quiet and peaceful, aside from the occasional chirping bird or rustle of the trees. The fields stretched on beyond their visible sight and they continued on with no particular destination. Sakura's thoughts were scattered as she tried to come up with a way to break the somewhat uncomfortable silence. As if reading her mind, Syaoran finally spoke, "How do you like riding so far?"

"It's…fun, I guess." She replied simply.

"You don't have to lie, you know. It can be a little boring at this pace." He said frankly.

"I-I'm sorry. I really wish I could ride faster but I don't think I'm ready for all that right now. I am having fun though!" Sakura stumbled through her words.

Syaoran chuckled, "It's fine, it's fine. I don't expect you to be up to pace with those two lunatics up there."

Sakura laughed quietly at his comment and they continued on in silence for a few brief moments.

"When did you learn how to ride a horse?" Sakura asked timidly since she seemed to be the only inexperienced rider in the group.

"When I was younger. My parents made me do a little of everything, horseback riding, martial arts, fencing, swimming. The list goes on"

"Does it? Do tell." her statement dripping with sarcasm.

Syaoran rolled his eyes, ignoring her comment. "How come you never learned how to ride? Didn't you and Tomoyo grow up together?"

"We were close but we didn't do everything together. We went to different middle schools and so I guess that's when she started learning. I joined the cheerleading squad and ran track and played volleyball. I probably wouldn't have had time to learn how to ride." she laughed casually. "It doesn't seem so bad so far though!" she continued.

"Well don't get too full of yourself." Syaoran grinned.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

"That wasn't very nice of you"

Eriol finally caught up to his girlfriend as her steed slowed to a simple trot. The dust around their horses settled back into the ground and they continued along the path.

"What? I was just getting the hang of riding again." she said slyly. "I wanted to test your skills too. I don't think we've ever been riding together!"

Eriol thought about her comment for a quick moment before agreeing, "Yeah, and I guess leaving those two alone was a great idea too. I really have rubbed off on you." he pulled his horse up beside hers. They both looked back, barely making out the small spots in the distance that were Syaoran and Sakura.

"So who do you think will catch on to our plan first?"

"I'm not sure, honestly. Sakura can be a bit oblivious at times" Tomoyo mused.

"I wouldn't put it past Syaoran to not realize that he's being set up though" Eriol added. "I guess we'll just have to wait and see."

Tomoyo gave Eriol an affirmative smile and picked up the pace of her trot.

"At the rate we're going, they'll never catch up to us, Tomoyo."

Tomoyo looked back at her boyfriend and brought her horse to a faster run, "They're not the only ones who could use a little alone time!" she winked before speeding off again.

Eriol was slightly amused and slightly surprised at his girlfriend's antics. With a shake of his head he let out a "Yah!" before taking off behind her.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

"What's your life like back at school?"

Sakura and Syaoran had continued a back and for Q&A session for the last few minutes in order to keep from sinking into silence.

"It's pretty plain. School, Work, Friends. It's nothing to get excited about. How about you?"

Sakura brought her finger to her chin and thought for a moment, "Work, work and…more work I guess. Since this is my last semester I'm not really taking too many classes. They're all online, actually."

"Again with the overachieving?" Syaoran feigned shock.

"I work a lot of hours and still maintain a high grade point average. Online classes aren't that easy to keep up with, ya know!" she defended.

"I was only joking. You sound…busy. Your friends must hate your job for making you work so much"

Sakura laughed hesitantly before answering, "Well I picked up the hours on my own. My social life became sort of non-existent a little while ago" her voice faded into almost a whisper towards the end of her statement.

He couldn't help but wonder about her sometimes as he found himself observing her sudden change of tone. She could go from being spunky and exciting to being lost and in a daze in a matter of seconds and it confused him. If there was something that he didn't like about the opposite sex, it was their way of indirectly hiding what they really felt and he was determined to find out what was wrong. This is what a lot of his girlfriends just didn't enjoy about him. While they spoke in metaphors and riddles about their feelings, he was very straight forward and upfront about the situation and he hoped for the same in return but was disappointed every time.

Her right hand found the bracelet that was securely attached to her left wrist and her fingers momentarily played with the small heart pendant.

Taking notice of his curious gaze, Sakura scratched the back of her head and replaced her silent state with a bright smile,

"But that's what Spring Breaks are for, right?" she opened her eyes and peered over at him.

'Drats! He noticed!' she shyly looked away and stared off into the vast open field ahead of them. He continued his gaze for a few more moments before setting his eyes back on the road, picking up his pace just a little.

"I wonder how much longer it'll be until we find them." Sakura said under her breath. The instant after the words left her mouth; she saw something large and black slither out from the brush to the left of them.

Without much time to react, she latched onto her horses mane and let out a terrifying scream as it reared into the air on its hind legs before bolting off past Syaoran.

Syaoran looked back, just in time to see a black snake wind its way through the field and without hesitation whipped his reins, directing his horse to speed forward. Knowing that the danger that caused this sudden chase was out of the way, the only thoughts that raced through his mind were of saving Sakura.

"Sya-o-ran! Help!" Sakura pleaded, her eyes closed tightly and her body trying desperately to remain pressed against the horses frame.

He managed to catch up but was still a few paces behind her.

"You have to pull the reins to one side, Sakura!"

"I can't!" she cried out.

"C'mon!" with another whip from his reins, his horse let out a whinny and sped along side the runaway.

"Sakura, open your eyes! I need you to do this yourself!"

From her refuge of the horse's mane, Sakura peeked one eye open to see Syaoran galloping beside her.

"What do I have to do?" she shouted.

"Take the reins and pull it to one side. It will make your horse spin a little but he'll slow down!" he shouted back.

Sakura closed her eyes again and nodded 'Oh gosh, oh gosh, oh gosh. OK!' She mentally prepared herself. 'You can do this, you can do this.'

Syaoran slowed his horse down to a few paces behind hers once more, allowing her room to pull off the maneuver.

Still trying to remain flattened, Sakura retrieved the reins and placed them in her right hand. 'One….two…' on her mental count of three she sat up and pulled as hard as she could, the whole world was spinning around her. The horse let out a loud whinny before rearing back into the air once more and finally coming to a stop. Sakura, losing the tight grip she held, found herself falling towards the floor and with a loud thud, landed on her back.

"Sakura!"

From a short distance ahead, Tomoyo and Eriol sped towards their fallen friend and in a few quick strides Syaoran was on the floor beside her. "Don't touch her! She could have broken something." Eriol shouted as his horse came to a stop. He hopped off and ran towards the fallen Sakura, "Tomoyo, get the horses together." Tomoyo nodded and jumped off of her horse to round the rest of the animals up.

"Sakura! Come on, open your eyes."

Syaoran, disregarding Eriol's earlier statement, brushed aside the few strands of hair from her face and gently took her hand in his. She stirred for a moment but remained silent.

Mumbling incoherently, Sakura blinked her eyes open, a look of strain upon her face.

"Sakura, are you ok? Does anything hurt?" Syaoran brought his hand to her cheek.

"Hiro?" she asked quietly, staring into the amber eyes of the boy that lay above her. Her eyes were barely a squint. Syaoran gave her a quizzical look and Tomoyo and Eriol exchange worried glances.

Sakura blinked a few more times and her vision cleared. Her eyes glistened from an entourage of tears that threatened to spill but they never did. 'No…it's just Syaoran.' She thought to herself, taking a few deep breaths to calm her nerves, she swallowed the lump that had risen in her throat and fully opened her eyes.

"Sakura, are you ok?" Syaoran pleaded again. Tomoyo knelt down next to the two and stroked Sakura's hair.

Tomoyo turned back to Eriol, "Maybe you should go get Ms. Megumi. She may be able to hel-"

Sakura reached up and grabbed Tomoyo's hand, "It's fine. I think I'm ok." She smiled reassuringly.

She was aware that her back and her head ached from the fall but other than that she didn't feel any serious pains.

"Does anything hurt?" Syaoran asked, helping Sakura sit up a little.

"I don't think so. My head and back hurt a little but…I guess that's expected when you fall from a crazy horse." she laughed mildly.

Syaoran's worried expression changed to one of relief as he stood. "I told you not to get too full of yourself!" he joked. With his hand still in hers, he wrapped one arm around her waist and cautiously helped her up.

"I am an overachiever, after all." She stumbled a bit in an effort to stand on her own, only for him to catch her again and pull her into a safe embrace.

"I'm really glad you're ok." He mumbled into her hair. His chin rested atop her head and his hands were positioned comfortably on her back.

Sakura felt at ease in his embrace. She could hear his heart rate as it declined back to a normal speed and could feel her own slow to match his. They pulled away and met each other's gazes. She'd finally realized just why Syaoran seemed so familiar. It was his eyes. 'They're the same color as Hi-'

"Ahem"

Sakura was broken away from her thoughts and the two brunettes blinked as their close proximity was brought to light. They moved apart from each other quickly, only to be met by curious smiles from Eriol and Tomoyo.

"Syaoran, why don't you help Eriol get the horses together? I'll walk with Sakura."

Syaoran averted his eyes from Tomoyo towards the ground and gave a swift nod before walking towards the waiting horses with his cousin.

Tomoyo approached Sakura and embraced her lightly. "I'm so happy you're ok!" she placed both hands upon her shoulder and held her at arm's length before lacing one of her arms between Sakura's and slowly walking forward.

"We heard you scream and came back as fast as we could." she continued as they walked on ahead of the boys.

Sakura rubbed the back of her neck with her free hand, "Yeah, there was this huge black snake that came out of nowhere. I guess my horse's fear of snakes is just as bad as my fear of ghosts!" she laughed.

"You were made for each other." Tomoyo teased.

Sakura sighed deeply and reached into a stretch, "I still had a lot of fun though. Despite almost dying." she brought her arms back down into a self hug.

"Definitly!" Tomoyo paused and walked a few more paces before speaking again, "So, what was that back there?"

"What was what back where?" Sakura asked, confused.

"Oh you know…that little embrace with your little friend Syaoran." Tomoyo wiggled her eyebrows.

Sakura sputtered through her words, "That? I was about to fall and he caught me."

"Oh yeah? Did he manage to catch your heart to?" Tomoyo whispered before she skipped away.

"Tomoyo! I—"

"What' so funny?"" Eriol asked, intrigued by her sudden flustered appearance.

"Nothing!" Sakura said meekly before running off to rejoin Tomoyo.

"That wasn't funny, Tomoyo! How long were they behind us?" Sakura asked, her eyes flickering back to see the boys involved in their own conversation.

"Oh, I don't know. Not long at all" Tomoyo replied, amused by her cousin's actions.

Sakura glanced back again only to lock eyes with Syaoran. He gave a slight wave before returning to his conversation with Eriol.

Sakura quickly turned back, a hint of blush returning to her cheeks.

"So what were you and Eriol doing up ahead, hmmm? You guys were gone for an awfully long time." Sakura tried her hardest to get a rise out of her best friend

"Probably something that you wish you were doing with Syaoran!" she said a little too loud before racing off once again in a fit of laughter.

"Ugh! Tomoyo!" Sakura shouted frustratingly. Not even motivated to chase after her again, she sat for a moment as the boys caught up with her.

"It's your fault she's this way, you know. You definitely rubbed off on her."

Eriol smiled sheepishly. "What can I say?...I know how to rub her in all the right ways"

Sakura and Syaoran blanched at the innuendo and moved to walk ahead, leaving Eriol to walk with just the horses.

"You guys are just made for each other!" Sakura shouted over her shoulder both amused and disgusted. Syaoran shook his head in hopes of erasing any mental images his brain may have conjured.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

They waved goodbye to Ms. Megumi as they pulled away from the farm house.

"What a day today was." Tomoyo yawned stretching her arms out before making a makeshift pillow out of them against the window.

"You can say that again." Sakura spoke softly, her eyes watching as they drove past rows and fields of vegetables and cattle.

"What a day…" Tomoyo mumbled once more before slipping into a comfortable slumber.

Sakura giggled and leaned her head against the window frame. The events of the played out in her head as if she were watching a movie. She never would have thought that her first experience on a horse would have ended the way it did but she was lucky. It could have been much worse. 'At least Syaoran was there to save me…' her lips curled into a small smile when she thought those words and her heart beat just a little faster. 'He's not so bad at all but…" her thoughts were cut off by a guilty pang in her heart and her mind was filled with images of another pair of familiar amber eyes. The dream she'd had early crept back into her mind and she sighed inwardly, shaking her head. 'And the least I can do is thank him.' A thought that'd she'd been thinking earlier reoccurred to her and she carefully plucked Tomoyo's cell phone from her lap. Searching through the contacts, she located the number that she was looking for & quickly texted a message to it from her own phone.

Syaoran rested his head upon his fist, using his elbow to prop up his arm against the door. His eyes remained closed as he replayed the events of the day. One thought in particular persistently stuck in his mind. A single name kept replaying in his head, 'Who's Hiro?'. His phone buzzed in his lap and he peeked one eye open to check the new message.

_Thank you again. _

His eyebrows furrowed in confusion at who the message was from and looked in the side mirror to see Sakura smiling at him. He averted his attention back down to the phone and texted her back.

_No problem. I'm just glad you're ok._

10 seconds hadn't even passed before he received a response

My hero!

He suppressed his laughter at her cheesy comment and sat up straight to continue the conversation.

_As long as there are damsels that need saving, I guess :D. _He looked up in time to see Sakura's amused expression as she received his message.

_Today was fun. But you know what? I have the strangest feeling that our cousins are up to something. _

His eyebrows rose, "_I was thinking the same thing. I think they're trying to put us together" _

He hesitated before sending the message. He'd realized what Eriol and Tomoyo were doing the minute they took off on their horses. He didn't know what to make of it really. Sakura was a really nice girl but he didn't want to complicate things. 'There's something that she's hiding' he took a peek into the side mirror again to see her texting

a response to his message and his phone buzzed a moment later.

_We should totally play a prank on them! What do you say?_

In just a couple of minutes, Sakura had formulated a devious plan to get back at Tomoyo and her equally tricky boyfriend.

_I'm in. What do you have in mind?..._

'Looks like we're going to be getting ourselves into some trouble this week' he thought as he waited for her response.

_I'll tell you when we get back to the lake house. I think Eriol is on to us! I'm going to stop texting now ttyl. _

Syaoran looked up from his text just as Eriol's eyes found their way back to the road. He looked back in the mirror to see Sakura leaning against the window, her eyes closed.

_Ok…Sweet Dreams_

He placed his phone back in his lap and stared out the window, wondering what sort of plan she could have come up with that could get under Eriol and Tomoyo's skin. Returning his head to his propped up fist, he soon nodded off into a much needed rest.

The rest of the ride back to the lake house was quiet and simple. Syaoran and Eriol switched spots at a halfway point and Tomoyo and Sakura chattered happily in the backseat. "Hey, a carnival!" Sakura exclaimed.

"Yeah, we passed it on our way to the ranch! We should stop by one of these days." Tomoyo cheered.

"Sounds like a plan to me" Sakura agreed as she continued to observe the various attractions. One in particular caught her eye and a devious smile spread across her lips.

'That's PERFECT!' she almost said aloud but refrained from voicing her new scheme. Putting the remaining pieces of her plot together in her head, she anxiously awaited the return to the lake house to set her plan in motion.

'Let the fun begin…'

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><p><strong>EDIT: Thanks again for reading &amp; re-reading! I hope it helped make things a little more interesting! <strong>

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><p><strong>AN: Thanks for reading! &amp; of course, let me know your comments, critiques, &amp; suggestions!<strong>

**I finally published "The MixedTape" too sooo I'll be working double time to put out chapters for both. I hope you enjoyed the next installment of Breaking Free though. The next few chapters are in the works! Oh!...I took the word "spontaneous" out of the summary since the trip wasn't all that spontaneous lol. idk. Til next time~**

**-Synea K.**


	8. Let's Get Married!

**AN: OK Don't hate me. I went and re-wrote some of Chapter 7. I completely rushed through that chapter and should have waited a little longer before publishing it but I was super excited annnnnd yeah. Fail, on my part. Sooooo if you don't want to be slightly lost in some of the upcoming parts, you should just skim through it a little! I revealed "Mystery Man's" name annnd added a few other things! It was really hard choosing his name, which is why I stalled for so long but I finally just decided on one.**

**This chapter is sort of a turning point Spring Break will be ending probably in the next chapter and the story will be caught up with the beginning.**

**Bear with me (ROAR!...lol? Bear…get it….haha..yeahsure.) if I'm not able to update soon…I'm kind of graduating in 11 days. No big deal. [yeahrightimfreakingoutinside] Soooo yeah. Plus, I have to update The MixedTape soon too!**

**I look forward to your reviews and comments and all of your lovely thoughts!**

**Thank you for reading! & Enjoy Chapter 8: Let's Get Married!**

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><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong>

**I do not own any of the CCS characters - CLAMP has that right. [I do own this plot and a couple original peeps though^_^]**

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><p><em><span>Summary:<span>_

_Syaoran has been living a pretty comfortable life. Until a girl he meets during a Spring Break road trip shows up on his door step a week later, turning his comfortable world upside down._

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><p><strong>Chapter 8: Let's Get Married!<strong>

"You can stare at it all you want but it probably won't ring."

Startled, Meiling looked over her shoulder to see Feimei in the doorway. She made her way over and sat next to the raven-haired girl who lay on the bed, her arms folded beneath her chin.

"I know. It's just I haven't talked to him since Saturday night and he said he would call me this morning but he never did!"

Feimei laughed gently, "Oh gosh, Meiling. A full THREE days? Whatever shall you do?" she exclaimed sarcastically.

Meiling rolled her eyes and turned over onto her side.

"It's Syaoran we're talking about. He's never been good at calling anyone back and he's enjoying his Spring Break. It won't be the end of the world." Feimei rose from the bed and walked back over to the door.

"Syaoran's never been one to break a promise. Give him some credit, k?"

She was answered with silence once again.

"Dinner's ready, by the way. You know how mother gets if we let the food get too cold." And with that she left the room.

With a sigh, Meiling continued to stare at her phone. _'Get a grip, Meiling.' _She chastised herself before rising from the bed.

Her phone let out a small chime and vibrated from its position on the bed next to her. Anxiously, she reached for the device and flipped it over. Meiling had arrived at Syaoran's family's home Sunday morning. His 4 sisters, of course, were thrilled to see 'Syaoran's cute girl friend' and Meiling wasn't at all annoyed by their extreme excitement.

The message that greeted Meiling caught her a little off guard.

_Hey, Meiling! How's your break been?:)_

She sighed inwardly as she replied, _Hi, Emi! It's been great. How about yours?_ She laughed aloud at herself, in the instant that her phone chimed, she'd unnecessarily raised her hopes only to have them disperse in the instant she read her friends name. But she was grateful. At least now she knew her phone was in perfect working condition which meant that Syaoran had no excuse as to why he hadn't contacted her.

_My break has been alright! I went home to visit the family for a few days. It's really weird being back after all this time._

Now that she thought about it, she hadn't been back to her actual home in a very long time and she rarely ever thought about returning home to see her family. She'd always been sort of independent growing up. With her parents constantly traveling on business trips, she practically raised herself.

"Meiling! Dinner!" she looked up, her thoughts interrupted.

_I'm sure you'll still have fun though! I've gotta go eat dinner now but I'll ttyl! _

She stood in front of the vanity to make sure she still looked presentable. The reflections of the various portraits that hung around the room caught her eye and she smiled. There was one in particular that she loved the most. It was of her, Syaoran and his sisters the first time he'd ever brought her to visit his family. Her phone buzzed again, _Alright! Have fun with your family! _:)

A smile spread over her lips. They were the closest thing to family that she would have and she realized that. In the 2 years that she'd known them they'd been very open and welcoming. Being an only child gave her the luxury of not having to ever really share anything but it was also very lonely. As annoying as Syaoran claimed his sisters to be, Meiling loved every moment of the elaborate enthusiasm. She left her phone on the dresser and hurriedly made her way downstairs to join her second family for dinner.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Sakura yawned loudly, her thumb steadily flipping through the endless channels. Why her cousin's family felt the need to have unlimited satellite television channels in a lake house was beyond her but she wasn't going to complain. Tomoyo soon joined her on the couch, quietly opened a book and began reading. The colors from the changing channels blended together until eventually Sakura left it on an unrecognized channel, the bright blue remained stagnant for a few moments before she turned the set off.

"There's nothing good on."

"How could you even tell what was on with how fast you were flipping." Tomoyo said, briefly looking up from her novel. Sakura shrugged and peered over her shoulder.

"Wutcha readin'?"

Tomoyo turned slightly so that Sakura could see the title without interrupting her reading.

"Ohh, sounds interesting…" Sakura trailed off, obviously uninterested. She spotted a few magazines on the side table and picked one up. After skimming a few pages she let out another defeated sigh and placed the magazine back on the table.

She folded her arms and slumped back into the couch, letting out yet another heavy sigh. Tomoyo made no indication that she was paying attention and continued to read her book. Sakura made a throaty noise before Tomoyo's eyes slid over to look at her.

"Yes, Ms. Attention seeker?"

Sakura gave a large, innocent smile, "I don't know! I just feel like talking. I figured since we're all cooped up inside we could have some girl time or somethin'!"

"We're only cooped up in here because you said you were in pain from yesterday!" Tomoyo folded the ear of the page she was on and closed the book.

"Yeah, yeah, I know."

"Now that you have my complete and undivided attention, what's on your mind? Oh! Didn't you have a dream you wanted to tell me about or something?

The dream. Thinking about it would only make her plan fail. All morning, she was trying desperately to not think about him and how he somehow tied into her prank, just like how he found his way into every situation in her life. But of course in telling herself to not think about him, she did. Which is why she was hoping the television would distract her but that didn't turn out to well. She quickly made an attempt to shake the thought from her mind. It wasn't the right time to be thinking about him. She wanted to enjoy the next couple of days and she couldn't afford for anything to ruin the next step in her plan. As harsh as it sounded but it was the only way to keep moving forward. _'I'm living for today now. Now what could have been.'_

"Earth to Sakura…." Tomoyo waved a hand in front of her cousin's face. Sakura blinked repeatedly,

"Sorry!" She laughed shyly. "We'll talk about another time…right now I want to ask you something."

Tomoyo nodded, "Spit it out already!"

"Ok, ok! So…what do you think about Syaoran?" Sakura whispered quietly.

Tomoyo let out a gasp of surprise and turned towards her, fully attentive. "You like him! I knew it!"

"Shhh, keep it down!" Sakura's eyes darted around the room.

Tomoyo laughed, "It's fine, the boys went to chop firewood or something. So, spill the beans!"

Sakura crossed her legs and grabbed one of the couch pillows, holding it against her. "Don't get me wrong…he really knows how to get on my last nerve but there's just something about him. And after yesterday…I don't know…we just got to talking and I get this crazy feeling every time he looks at me. He even saved my life, Tomoyo."

Tomoyo squealed in delight at Sakura's confession. The two girls turned, the sound of the front door catching their attention.

"You girls sound like you're having a good time." The front door closed and Eriol and Syaoran made their way into the living room. Eriol looked from Tomoyo to Sakura and grinned, "Well don't stop just because we're here. What's so exciting?"

"Well, Sakura was just telling me how much she—"

Sakura threw the pillow at her cousin's face. "Tomoyo!"

"I'm just kidding, Sakura." she breathed out, her laughter filling the room.

Sakura stuck her tongue out at her and rose from the couch, making her way to the kitchen.

"Hey Sakura," Syaoran reached out for her arm. Sakura looked down at his hands that rested gently on her forearm and then back up to him. "I was wondering if you wanted to take a walk with me?" he finished.

"She would love to!" Tomoyo shouted almost instantly from the couch. Sakura rolled her eyes and continued her way to the fridge, taking two water bottles. Grabbing Syaoran's arm, she dragged him along to the front door, "Let's go! I need some fresh air." She exclaimed just before the door closed behind them.

Eriol turned to Tomoyo, "What's that all about?" he walked to the fridge and grabbed a water bottle before joining her on the couch. Taking the bottle out of his hands she took a gulp from it before returning it. "All this hard work has got me so thirsty!" she exclaimed haughtily. "Oh, really? & what work have you been doing?" Eriol asked curiously, raising his eyebrows. "Not too much, just that I found out our little Sakura likes a certain brown-haired boy."

"I fail to see the work you put into this occurrence." he said dully, taking a sip from his water. "Well if I hadn't left them alone yesterday then he never would have saved her and—" Eriol silenced her by placing a finger to her lips. "Before you continue on your uphill ego climb, a certain brown-haired boy confessed to me that he may be interested in our green-eyed beauty. But he said he became interested in her after the first day."

Tomoyo broke out into a short fit of laughter, "You mean before or after she kicked him and accused him of being a crazy intruder?" Eriol raised his arms in defense, "Hey, I guess he likes his women rough!"

They laughed conjointly before settling down. "It looks like we're tied then. They seem to both be opening up and it's only been a few days." Eriol sighed, draping an arm over his girlfriend. "But I am a little worried," Tomoyo said quietly. "You heard her yesterday too, right?" She looked up at her boyfriend. Eriol nodded in silence. "I just don't want her to end up hurt again because if you hadn't noticed, he DOES resemble Hiro. But they're two completely different people and she needs to be able to move on and—" Eriol brought a finger to Tomoyo's lips again and looked down at her. "Trust that she knows what she's doing. She's the only one that knows just how she's feeling and what she's ready for and that's all we can hope for." He said reassuringly. Tomoyo nodded slowly and hugged Eriol closer. In an instant she scooted away, a look of disgust on her face, as she held her nose. "And you sir, are ready for a shower!" She made a move to stand from the couch. "I thought you were supposed to love me unconditionally?" there was a mischievous glint in his eye as he rose from his spot and followed her down the hall.

"Of course I do, love. But I love you so much more when you're clean!" Tomoyo shouted as she hurried her step towards their room with Eriol right on her heels, his arms outstretched as if to hug her. The door closed and their laughter rang loudly throughout the empty lake house.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

"You can stop dragging me, you know." Syaoran laughed as Sakura continued to speed off in front of him, his arm grasped firmly within her hand. They walked down a path that led towards the small nearby town. "You can never be too sure with those two!" she laughed as she pulled him further along the trail. She looked back, realizing that the lake house was no longer in sight and slowed her pace. "I think we're far enough now," she sighed. "Good job back there, offering to go on a walk. I just finished telling Tomoyo and I swear she nearly died! Her face was so priceless and—what's so funny?" Sakura quickly looked over to her companion as he continued to walk beside her.

"Sakura, you can let go of my hand now." He laughed. She realized her actions and quickly moved her hand from his, locking her arms together in front of her. "So yeah, we didn't really get to talk a lot but I really think that she believes me. What did you tell Eriol?"

Syaoran walked a couple of steps behind her, his hands placed on the back of his head, "Anyone ever tell you that you talk a lot?" Sakura stopped in her tracks, nearly causing him to run into her. This question earned him a glare, "Fine! Just when I thought that we were becoming friends and that you weren't so bad." She turned back to the direction she was originally walking and began to stomp off, her words fading off with every step she took. Syaoran quickly ran in front of her, his hands held up to stop her from walking, "I was only joking! Sheesh, don't take everything so personal."

"Because you telling me I talk too much isn't personal? …right." she pushed passed him and continued to walk. Syaoran shook his head and sighed, "I guess you're right. So where are we headed anyways? You never told me this part of the plan. I understand that we're supposed to get them to think that we're all lovey-dovey for each other and everything but what comes next?"

He was answered by silence from the girl in front of him. "Oh come on, Sakura. Don't be this way." He grabbed her hand and turned her to face him. Instead of the hurt expression that he expected, her lips were curved into a smug smile, "Anyone ever told you that you talk too much?" she said in a mocking tone, gently shoving him away from her. She turned back around and began skipping down the path.

"That's really mature, Sakura." He yelled as he followed behind.

They both laughed and continued down the path side by side. "Remember that little carnival that we passed on our way back yesterday?"

Syaoran nodded in response and waited for her to continue. "Well, originally I thought that you and I could just pretend to be all lovey-dovey to the point where they couldn't stand us anymore but then I saw this tent…and a crazy idea popped into my head."

"What was the tent?" he inquired.

They took a few more steps before reaching the outskirts of the small town. A few feet from where they stood, the town had been turned into miniature fairgrounds. Various vendors and shops-keepers were preparing their carts and work stations for the evening's festivities while workers hauled props and other items into the few tents that were located on either side.

"You'll see!" Sakura said cheerfully as she skipped forward towards a large white tent.

Syaoran eyed the tent from where he stood. There wasn't really anything special about the tent other than the fact that it was white and had little portholes on either side. Out in the front there was a small arch made of vines and other flowers and a red carpet than ran from the front into the inside. A couple, probably a few years older than him, came out from the tent grinning ear to ear. A man dressed in a suit followed behind and stood in front of them to take their picture under the arch. And THAT's when it hit him. The young couple hurried off excitedly just as Sakura approached the man in the tuxedo and a top hat. "Sakura!" Syaoran shouted as he jogged over to the tent. "Sakura what are you thinking?"

Sakura turned to Syaoran as he composed himself from his brisk run.

"Ah, so this must be the lucky young fella!" the man turned to Syaoran with a wink.

Syaoran gave the man a peculiar look before taking a hold of Sakura's forearm and pulling her to the side.

"THIS, is your bright idea?" he said in a rushed whisper, nodding his head towards the tent and the strange man.

Sakura nodded, "Well, I thought it would be hilarious! I mean, maybe they expected us to get together during this vacation but they would never expect us to—"

"Get married? Well yeah because that's just stupid."

Sakura slapped her forehead, "Wow…could you be any denser? We're not really getting married, silly!" she laughed.

"Arthur here does mock weddings! I mean, he does real weddings too but he's always willing to go along with the local pranksters like ourselves." she gave a small wave at the waiting man before turning back to Syaoran.

Syaoran took a deep breath before giving a relieved laugh. "For a minute there, I thought you really were that crazy girl I met just 3 days ago."

Sakura's face held an expression of sadness, "So you wouldn't want to marry me? And here I thought we were getting along just fine." she said, feigning shock.

Syaoran waved his hands in the air, "No! Of course, wait, I mean of course we're getting along just fine! You're not so bad." Syaoran defended his previous statement nervously. Sakura laughed and grabbed his hand, "Just joking! Now let's go. We've got a wedding to plan." she said, as they followed Arthur back into the large white tent.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

"So that's it then? We just show up tomorrow morning and everything else will be taken care of for us?"

"You bet! Now you two get home before it starts to pour. Looks like the carnival won't be running today. Let's hope for sunny skies in the A.M!" Arthur cheered as he walked them to the entrance of the tent. Sakura and Syaoran both nodded in agreement and made their way.

"See you tomorrow, Arthur!" Sakura shouted with a wave. Arthur returned the gestured and ducked back inside just as thunder roared above them.

"Looks like we're going to be stuck in the house tonight." Syaoran commented, looking up at the darkened sky. "We should really get back before it starts to pour."

"Definitely," Sakura said wearily. "Thunder doesn't bother me all that much but lightning just scares me senseless!"

Syaoran chuckled at how innocent she seemed now. Sprinkle a little water and add some loud thunder and streak of light and she wasn't so tough after all.

"We've really gotta feed it to them tonight though."

"And we'll leave a note in the kitchen in the morning telling them what we've gone to do." Sakura added excitedly. Lightning flashed across the sky, causing her to scream in fear. She latched on Syaoran's arm in an attempt to hide from the angry heavens above and pushed him forward.

"Scaredy cat," Syaoran poked fun at the terrified girl. She playfully punched his arm and laughed, "Yeah, I guess."

The sky grew darker and the atmosphere became chilled. Sakura folded her arms across her chest in an attempt to keep warm. "Come on, we're almost back." Syaoran said, placing an arm around her shoulder and shielding her from the gusts. Sakura moved in closer to him and wrapped her left arm around his waist to keep warm. _'He smells nice…' _she smiled inwardly. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and let him lead her. She had not been this close to anyone in a while and honestly, she'd missed it. Back at school she made sure to keep herself busy as to avoid that awkward phase that she knew would be greeting her when she'd returned from home during that time. If she wasn't at work, she was locked in her room studying, only leaving during unusual hours of the day and night to get anything. It was a strange routine that took some getting used to but she knew it was necessary. She hated the idea of people pitying her. She wasn't able to avoid it completely and when those instances did occur, it only furthered her persistence to stay away from the world.

The Lake House had finally come into sight and as if on cue, the heavens roared and rain poured heavily from the skies. Sakura was hurled out of her thoughts as Syaoran took her hand and started into a run towards the house. The sound of thunder masked Sakura's squeals every time lightning bolted through the skies. Losing her footing on the muddy floor, Sakura tripped and fell. Syaoran's hand slipped from hers and he stopped abruptly, turning back to help her up. Sakura momentarily examined her present state and then looked up at Syaoran who was having a hard time containing his laughter. She laughed childishly as he tried to help her up and was hit with a mud ball in the center of his chest. "Gotcha!" she yelled over the rain and ran towards the lake house, her laughter trailing behind her. Syaoran mimicked her and grabbed her by the waist just as they approached the front porch. Their merriment blended together as they struggled, Sakura trying to avoid being tackled by a muddy-handed Syaoran and Syaoran attempting to get her back for the mud ball to the chest. Finally succeeding, Syaoran was able to pin Sakura to the ground just before the steps. She closed her eyes and turned her head away as the rain continued to fall upon them and his hair dripped a steady stream of water onto her face. "Give up?" Syaoran asked with a smirk. Sakura peeked one eye open and grinned, "Never!" she said before she freed her hands from his and brought them to his sides in a barrage of tickles, causing him to leap from on top of her. Taking the upper hand, Sakura pushed him over onto his back and straddled him, scooping up a a leafy filled mud ball and packing it firmly in her hands. "Do YOU give up?"

"What's with you two and falling all over each other?"

Syaoran and Sakura looked up to see Eriol and Tomoyo on the front porch, both with expressions of confusion and mild disgust from their friends messy state. Out of surprise, Syaoran made a move to swiftly stand, knocking Sakura to the ground with a shout.

"Sorry, Sakura!" he quickly reached over to help her up and she began to laugh, "It's fine."

They were covered head to toe with leaves and dirt. Sakura used this moment of distraction to take the remaining bit of mud from her hands and smear it across Syaoran's face. "I win!" she cheered before bolting up the stairs and into the house, disregarding Tomoyo's pleas of trying to keep the place clean. "Hey!" Syaoran chased after her but was nearly close-lined by Tomoyo's arm who stopped him from entering. The look on her face made him reconsider his actions and take a few steps back, "I'll…just go through the back…" he said hesitantly and with a laugh, made his way to the back of the house. The last thing he wanted was to see Tomoyo upset.

Tomoyo let out the breath that she'd been holding and turned back to see the damage that Sakura had caused by running through the house. The floors were splattered with Sakura's muddy shoe prints and water streaked through the length of the rooms.

"It's ok, honey. Just breathe." Eriol attempted to calm her nerves by gently caressing her head. "I guess it's what we get for our little plan, huh?" Tomoyo said meekly. Defeated, she made her way slowly back into the house, stepping over any mud spots in her path. Eriol shook his head with a smile as he closed the door behind them.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

"I still don't get why I had to clean it up with she's the one that made the mess." Syaoran was on his hands and knees, spot checking the floors for any last bit of the mud that he'd just spent the last hour cleaning up.

"Well clearly, you lost, which means that you had to clean it." Eriol chuckled. He sat in one of the chairs against the wall of the front area of the Lake House and watched Syaoran complete his task.

"When was that decided?" Syaoran muttered. He threw the towel he was using into the corner by the front door and lay out flat against the now clean floor. His arms and legs ached from cleaning the floors. The silence continued between the boys and Syaoran let out a loud sigh. Although it could have been taken as a sign of fatigue, he knew that it would bait Eriol into making the first comments. It was time to set operation "Let's get Married" into action. A small smiled tugged at his lips when Eriol spoke.

"So you and Sakura seem to be really close all of a sudden. Did you tell her you liked her?" He pushed his glassed up onto his nose and folded his arms across his chest.

Syaoran placed his arms behind his head, "How long did you know Tomoyo before you realized she was the one?"

'Bait dropped' Syaoran peeked one eye open to gauge his cousins expression. Eriol, who was previously reclined onto his chair, sat up straight at Syaoran's last question.

"I don't know…I mean, I'd liked her for at least a year before we even started dating. Syaoran what are you-" Eriol couldn't even bring himself to finish his question, a puzzled look upon his face.

"Syaoran, you're kidding me, right?"

Syaoran remained quiet. 'He's falling for it…'

"Since when do I joke, Eriol?" Syaoran tried his hardest not to laugh at his last response. Eriol rose from his seat and stared down at his cousin who held an unreadable expression. Syaoran, feeling as though someone was watching him re-opened his eyes to see Eriol staring down at him with an expression of shock and confusion.

"Have you heard any good things about Sakura's school? I hear they have a great business program and—"

"Are you kidding me? Syaoran there are only a couple of months of school left you can't transf—what am I saying? Syaoran do you even know what you're saying?"

'He's really taking it!' Syaoran cheered in his mind at the rate of success of the plan. He hadn't known Eriol to be so gullible but then again, he had caught him off guard.

"Eriol…do you believe in love at first sight?"

Eriol nearly fell back into his chair and placed his head in his hands. "Now I know you're crazy, Syaoran." Eriol's voice sounded muffled through the hand that covered his mouth in disbelief. He then ran his hands through his hair. As much as he wanted Syaoran to be with someone, he hadn't anticipated his cousin to have these sort of feelings. It was all too quick for him to process anything.

"If by crazy, you mean in love then. Yes, I'm crazy. I'm crazy about Sakura." Syaoran had propped himself up into a sitting position and locked eyes with Eriol who's face became unreadable. Syaoran shivered at hearing his own voice saying those words. He'd never even been close to saying that he was crazy about someone, let alone someone he'd just met. Eriol rose from his chair in silence and quickly made his way down the hall. "Tomoyo!" he shouted just outside of Sakura's room. The door flew open and Tomoyo quickly removed herself from the room. She too seemed flustered about something and the two of them ran off towards their bedroom, the door slamming noisily behind them. 'Hooked, line and sinker!' Sakura thought as she rose from her bed with a grin upon her face. She stepped outside her room door just as Syaoran came around the corner, an identical smile spread across his lips. After washing up, she and Syaoran had decided to set their plan in motion by talking with their cousins separately. While Syaoran cleaned the floors, Sakura and Tomoyo talked in her room.

"How did it go?" he whispered, glancing quickly at the room down the hall before turning back to face Sakura. She too was looking at Tomoyo and Eriol's room door and motioned for him to come inside her room. The moment he'd shut the door, Sakura's laughter was uncontrollable but she kept it as quiet as possible. She jumped onto her bed and hugged one of her pillows to her chest.

"It was so crazy! I can't believe I was able to keep a straight face the entire time!"

Syaoran sat on the bed next to her, and leaned back into a reclining position, closing his eyes with an accomplished smile. "Eriol was speechless when I tried to tell him that I was going to transfer schools!" Syaoran said proudly.

"Oooo, that was a good one!" Sakura grinned. There was a knock on the door and Syaoran bolted up. They looked at each other and then back at the door. "C-come in!" Sakura shouted. Tomoyo peered inside of the room, almost surprised to see Syaoran sitting next to Sakura on the bed. "Can I talk to you, Sakura?" she said hesitantly, her eyes shifted quickly to Syaoran and then back to her cousin. Syaoran looked at Sakura and she nodded before he rose from his spot and made his way towards the door.

"Good night, ladies!" he said as he walked past Tomoyo and down the hall into his own room. Tomoyo quietly closed the door behind her and stood with her back against the door.

"What's up Tomoyo?" Sakura asked nervously, hoping she hadn't heard any of their conversation.

"Sakura I—" Tomoyo kept her eyes to the floor as she continued to speak, "Sakura, I'm so sorry. Eriol and I just thought that it would be fun to try to put you guys together but I think we pushed too much."

"Tomoyo you're not making any sense. Come here." Sakura patted her bed and motioned for Tomoyo to join her.

"Look, whatever you think is your fault, it's not. Syaoran and I just really like each other and—"

"We heard you yesterday. When you fell off the horse, you called him Hiro." Tomoyo said suddenly. Sakura felt as though she couldn't breathe. She hadn't heard his name spoken in a long time. Although she was thinking it, she didn't know that she'd actually said his name out loud.

"Tomoyo I—I didn't call him…" she paused. It was harder than she thought to pretend that his name still didn't bother him. "Maybe you misheard me, I was calling him my hero…see?" Sakura quickly grabbed her phone and displayed the text messages from the day before. Tomoyo looked from the messages to Sakura's face and continued to stare at her for a few moments. Sakura was hoping that her cousin wasn't able to see through her mask. She wanted badly to just break down and tell Tomoyo that she was only joking. How could she use his name in one of her childish pranks? How cruel could she be? 'It's all a part of moving on—I have to do this!' she reassured herself over and over again in those few moments that their eyes were locked. Tomoyo closed her eyes and shook her head with a small laugh. "Sakura, just…be careful. I really don't know what I'd do if you were to end up hurt again because of all of this." Tomoyo embraced Sakura in a caring hug. Sakura hugged her cousin back and closed her eyes, 'Why did I decided to do this?', she mentally questioned herself before the embrace was broken and Tomoyo rose from the bed. She tucked a strand of Sakura's hair behind her ear and smiled. "Well if you're happy, Sakura…then I'm happy for you. Syaoran's a pretty good guy."

Sakura nodded and smiled guiltily.

"We'll all talk about this in the morning then…sweet dreams, Sakura!" Tomoyo said as she made her way back to her room. The door clicked behind her and Sakura threw herself onto her bed. "Well it wasn't supposed to happen this way." She mumbled into her pillow. Flipping over onto her back she let out a frustrated sigh and held her arm up. The bracelet dangled from her wrist and glimmered in the light of the small lamp. She could make out the word 'Live' that was inscribed on the heart charm and she frowned, "What have I gotten myself into?" she whispered. Her phone buzzed from the nightstand next to the bed.

_Everything ok? She didn't hear us, did she?_

Sakura lay back onto her bed and held the phone above her as she responded.

_Everything is fine! She didn't hear anything, she was just concerned about "how fast we were moving" Lol. _

Sakura smiled at how silly they were being. They were young adults still playing childish pranks on each other. To top it all off, it was a well thought-through prank that involved feelings. Something was bound to go wrong. Sakura shrugged it off and turned off the light beside her. Her phone buzzed with another response,

_Ok, good. Well get some sleep. We're up bright and early—bride to be! ;)_

She suppress her laughter at his last comment and responded quickly,

_Someone's really taking this seriously. I'm impressed. _

Syaoran looked down at Sakura's response and rolled his eyes with a grin. He had to admit, if he was able to pull this prank off, he would never let Eriol live it down. He wanted it to be fool proof and in order for that to happen…he had to play the role to the best of his abilities. So yes, he was taking it seriously. It was the perfectionist in him and his determination to not mess this up.

_I'm shocked, Sakura. Why wouldn't I be taking our marriage seriously? _He joked. A yawn escaped him and he looked over at the clock on his nightstand. It was nearly midnight. Although they didn't do too much today, he was still exhausted.

_Well in that case, good night future husband! See you in the morning_

Sakura placed her phone back on the nightstand and got under her covers. A faint smile danced upon her lips and she anxiously twiddled her thumbs. She was sort of excited to see how tomorrow was going to work out. Tomoyo would probably hate her for the rest of her life but it would be the greatest prank ever played on her cousin. Pushing all further thoughts aside, she closed her eyes in preparation for sleep.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

"_When do you think you would want to get married?"_

_Tomoyo and Sakura sat in the kitchen of Tomoyo's apartment. Tomoyo placed the book she was reading onto the table and thought about the questione she'd just been asked. Sakura hummed quietly and continued to draw her picture. She carefully shaded in the darker areas of what looked like a gown. "Maybe 24?I think it's enough time to finish up with school and become settled and we would still have a couple of years to ourselves before we think about kids. What about you and Hiroshi?" _

_Sakura giggled at her cousins response and held up the picture of the dress in front of her. "We haven't really talked about it much. I mean…once or twice but nothing too serious." She placed the drawing back on the table and drew in a few more details. _

"_Well when you do get married, I'll be your maid of honor." Tomoyo said in a sure tone. _

_Sakura scoffed and looked up at her cousin, "Well duh. Who else would it be?"_

"_I don't know—maybe his sister." She replied matter-of-factly. _

_Sakura laughed loudly, "Really, Tomoyo. The girl's hated me since day one." Tomoyo laughed as well, "Yeah, I know. I'm just joking! Why doesn't she like you again?"_

_Sakura shrugged, "I don't know. I just think she's a little overprotective." _

"_A little is an understatement." Tomoyo muttered before returning to her book. _

_Sakura put down the pencil she was using and held up the drawing one more time. "What do you think?" _

_Tomoyo's examined the drawing of the wedding gown with a smile, "It's cute, Sakura….but I think you should let me and mother handle the designing of your wedding dress!" Tomoyo exclaimed. _

_Sakura rolled her eyes playfully, "Well for me of course! But this one is for you!" Sakura cheered, pushing the drawing closer to Tomoyo's face. Tomoyo looked over the drawing once more, "I will gladly wear this dress, Sakura." She said with a soft smile. _

"_Like you have a choice." Sakura grinned. _

Tomoyo woke up from her reverie, a hint of a smile upon her face. She'd almost forgotten about that moment together. She closed her eyes and thought about how much had changed since then, mainly Sakura's life. With a sigh her minded drifted back to what Sakura had told her the night before. She couldn't believe that Sakura, who for the last 2 years had been socially isolated, could fall in love with Syaoran and so quickly at that. He was probably the first guy that she'd let close to her and Tomoyo was a little weary about the whole thing. Syaoran was a nice guy but she had to admit, he held an uncanny resemblance to Hiro. Not just his physical features but a little of his personality as well, minus the random mood swings. The way that Syaoran was concerned for her after the horse incident and the fact that Sakura even thought he was Hiro, troubled her. She didn't want Syaoran to be Sakura's replacement for her broken heart. She glanced over at the clock on her nightstand which read 7:13am and then over at the still sleeping figure beside her. She was always the first one to wake up in the mornings. She rose from the bed with a quick stretch and exited the room, tiptoeing past Syaoran and Sakura's rooms and making her way into the kitchen. Pouring herself a cup of juice, she returned the carton to the fridge and closed the door. Her eyebrows furrowed as a piece of paper that was attached to the fridge caught her attention. Her eyes quickly scanned the content and she nearly choked on her drink. Almost throwing her cup into the sink, she snatched the paper from the door and frantically ran towards her room.

"Eriol, wake up!" She fiercely shook Eriol from his slumber and he sat up quickly, clearly alert to her distress.

Tomoyo shoved the piece of paper into his face and he read on silently before giving her the same frantic expression she'd given him. "Wha-what is this?" Eriol stammered. Tomoyo threw the letter down and ran towards the bathroom to quickly wash up and change. "It's a disaster, that's what! Hurry up and get dressed we have to find them!" Eriol re-read the letter, blinking a few more times in order to fully comprehend what he was reading before climbing out of the bed to quickly dress. "They're out of their minds!" She exclaimed in a frenzy while running out of the bathroom. Eriol nodded and grabbed their keys from the nightstand, the two of them bolting from the room.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Syaoran paced back and forth, his eyes glued to the floor and his arms folded behind his back. He didn't know why he'd felt so on edge in the last few minutes. He glanced back at the clock that read, 7:20am and then back to the floor. Maybe it was the excitement of doing something this crazy, or maybe it was—

"You'd think we were really getting married with all that pacing."

His eyes looked up into the mirror of the vanity and locked eyes with the reflected emeralds of the girl behind him. Sakura had poked her head out of her dressing stall with a small smile. Slowly she moved aside the curtains, reveling the simple yet elegant white gown that she'd chosen to wear for their "wedding". Syaoran was speechless. 'Maybe it's Sakura…'

"I think it's a little plain but then again, this is a carnival wedding dress." She spun once more, examining the gown. Finally noticing the silence, she looked up to see that Syaoran was still staring at her. "You don't like it do you? I can go change into another one if you want." She glanced down at the dress again.

Syaoran shook his head and closed the gap between them in a few strides. "No! you look…beautiful." He didn't feel as if he was in control of his actions when he took her left hand in his and led her to the vanity mirror. "See." He wore a simple black and white three piece suit with a small white peony tucked into his chest pocket. Her dress, although simple, complimented her figure and shone brightly along with her eyes.

A million thoughts raced through Syaoran's mind. Like, why was he going through with something this crazy? Even if it was only just a joke. Why couldn't he look her in the eye? He'd done it plenty of times before. Why was he so comfortable holding her hand and why did it feel so natural? The one answer that he was able to conjure up through all of his thoughts was that Sakura definitely made him nervous. His heart rate began to slow as a knock sounded from the door and they quickly let go of each other's hands. Sakura nervously tucked a stray hair behind her ear and went to open it.

"You guys almost ready? Oh, look at you two!" Arthur poked his head into the room with a bright smile before Sakura could reach the door. "We've gotta get started soon. Just come on out when you're ready!" he closed the door and left them in silence once again.

"It's now or never then." Syaoran joined Sakura by the door and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Wait, wait! I almost forgot!" She ran back to the vanity and retrieved the final touch, a sheer white veil. She placed the little comb into her hair and hung the veil over her face. "Better?" she smiled. Syaoran took his spot next to her and they looked into the mirror once again. "Perfect."

Syaoran retrieved his phone from his pocket and switched on the camera before handing it to her. "Let's get a picture of this to show our kids." He joked. Sakura was glad the veil covered her face as to hide the blush that tinted her cheeks. "Oh, stop it!" she hit him playfully on the arm and took the phone from his hands just as a message flashed onto the screen.

"Uh oh! I think they found the letter. Let's hurry!" Sakura quickly closed the message from Tomoyo and held the phone up in front of them. "Hold on." Syaoran lifted Sakura's veil over her head, "Now you're ready." Sakura moved in closer to him so that their cheeks were nearly touching. "Smile!"

Syaoran put on a plain smile and Sakura smiled with a wink as the phone flashed. They briefly examined the photograph with approval before placing the phone back in his pocket. Taking a step back, Syaoran extended his hand to her with a bow, "Shall we?" Sakura giggled in response and took his hand.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

"Where in the world could they have gone to get married?" Tomoyo looked at Eriol quizzically as he started the car.

"I don't know! We're probably miles from any church." He shrugged. Tomoyo placed her hand on his, signaling for him to stop the car. "Let's think for a minute before we go off driving in the wrong direction. What have we passed recently and where could they have gone without a vehicle?"

The silence didn't settle long before the both of them gasped, as if a light bulb had gone off in their heads, "The carnival!"

"I think I saw this make-shift chapel yesterday. That must be it." Eriol said as he put the car in reverse.

Tomoyo nodded as she sent a text to the two missing brunettes.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

They stood together at the altar but apart from each other. Sakura examined her fingernails while Syaoran made his shoes seem like the most interesting things in the world.

"Now, come on you guys! You wouldn't even be able to convince a fly that you two were madly in love and gettin' married! You've gotta really feeeel the moment. Here, like this." In a quick motion, Arthur had pushed the two together so that they were nearly inches apart, placing their hands into one another's. Sakura held her breath as the top of her forehead collided with Syaoran's chin. They both let out a small bit of laughter before relaxing comfortably into their spots in front of each other.

Syaoran softly rubbed the back of Sakura's hand with his thumb which caused her to look up. Although her face was covered by the veil, he could still make out her vibrant colored eyes. The way her cheeks lit up with a soft pink hue, the curve of her lips that formed a small smil- 'What are you thinking, Syaoran?'. He quickly looked away from her and back at Arthur, embarrassed by the sudden stream of blood that had rushed into his cheeks. "This better?" he managed to say despite the nerves that racked through him. Yes, Sakura definitely made him nervous.

"Perfect! Now, I'm going to start as though you two were really getting married, to kind of set the mood. I may skip a bit of mumbo jumbo and get straight to the end. Madison is waiting out from to let me know when yur friends get here so they can catch you all at the best part." He winked.

"The best part?" Sakura asked curiously. Arthur merely cleared his throat and opened his book.

"We have gathered here today to share with this young man and woman, a very important moment in their lives. In the short time that they have been together, their love and understanding of each other has grown and matured…and now they have decided to live their lives together as husband and wife." Arthur flipped a few pages in his book and looked at the couple before him, a bright smile upon his face.

Sakura was grateful for the veil that was covering her face. She hadn't been expecting her emotions to get the best of her at this very moment when she needed to hold it together but she couldn't escape the pain that ran through her heart as Arthur continued to speak. What she was doing…was wrong. It was a cruel joke that was meant to be played on her cousin and her tricky boyfriend, but instead ended up causing more pain to herself than joy or laughter. What was so different about now than 3 minutes ago? The fact that she was holding another man's hands as though to wed him? The fact that the words Arthur was speaking were meant for two people who were in love? Or maybe it was just the fact that she'd only been forcing herself to think these negative thoughts and harvest these horrible feelings because of _him_. Why did she deserve to be happy and have fun and _live_ when he couldn't?

She was brought out of her thoughts at the sound of her name being called.

"Sakura?"

Her head flickered up and she caught sight of Syaoran's eyes before changing her gaze to Arthur.

"Do you take this man to be your wedded husband, to have and to hold, through sickness and through health, til death do you part?"

Arthur's smile was painful to look at but Syaoran's amber eyes weren't much comfort to her either and so her eyes returned to stare at her shoes. The knot in her throat almost made it impossible to speak and she choked out a silent cry as the tears began to fall just as Arthur's phone let out a loud buzz and ring. She was grateful for the distraction and quickly wiped her eyes.

"Alright! They're right outside. Here we go!"

Syaoran's eyes had not left Sakura's frozen figure. He could tell that something wasn't right. Her fingers latched around his hands as if she were trying to hold something back and her small sniffles from beneath her veil had not gone unnoticed.

With a loud and booming voice, Arthur proceeded with the rest of his ceremonial lines but Syaoran had managed to block out his voice. All of his senses continued to focus on Sakura. His hands trembled as he slowly lifted the veil from in front of her face and although her gaze still remained to the floor, he could see the stream of tears that ran steadily down her cheeks.

"Sakura?" he whispered quietly, bringing his hand to stroke her cheek. He knew now for a fact that there was definitely something wrong and something inside of him made him want to be the one to make it better. In the time that they spent together, he'd found her smile and warm personality to be infectious. Even in the moments where she annoyed or bothered him, he couldn't help but smile or laugh about it afterwards. When she'd fallen from that horse, his only thoughts were of her being ok because he couldn't stand to see her hurt. But here she was, standing in front of him in a mock version of one of the happiest moments in life, hurting. He slowly tilted her chin up and she easily let him. Her eyes were red from the tears that continued to fall but he was still mesmerized by the brilliance of those emeralds.

"With the power vested in me, I now pronounce you man and wife!

It all happened rather quickly but in his mind, the world had stopped turning and they were the only two people left in existence. Collecting her face into both of his hands, he brought himself dangerously closer to her, their noses briefly touching.

"You may kiss the bride!" Arthur's voice boomed loudly but the only sound that Sakura could hear was of her own staggered breathing and of her rapidly beating heart as Syaoran's lips met hers. There was a wave of emotion that surged through her and she found herself holding onto his shoulders, afraid of falling. She closed her eyes, her inner self being carried away as if being swept down a racing stream. Every thought and feeling being swept away with the current.

Syaoran gently caressed her cheek, removing any more tears that threatened to stain the beautiful face of the smile that brightened his day. He was unaware of just how and where the sudden release of emotions came from within him and He was unaware of the watching eyes that had barged in on the conclusion of their ceremony in hopes of stopping them from making a mistake that was never going to happen in the first place. But he was certain that for the first time in a long time-he felt free.

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><p><strong>AN: Ahh finally done with this chapter! :) I reallllly hope you enjoyed it and hopefully I'll be able to do a continuation soon but...eh, I think I can leave you hanging for a little bit ^_^. <strong>

**Thoughts, comments, concerns! (If there's anything that's not lookin' consistent! Please let me know!)**

**'til next time!**

**Always, **

**Synea K. **


	9. Revelations

**AN: OMGGGAAAH. I'm literally falling asleep right now but I was super determined to publish this chapter. At least you'll understand if there are some horrible typos at the end. I just read through it a little and I probably could have written the last part a little better but honestly, I kept getting stuck. I did my best I just don't like writing about emotional situations most of the time :). I actually cut it short just in case I was hit by another case of writers block and needed something to lead into the next chapter. Spring Break will FINALLY be ending.**

**x-x-x-x**

Anywayyyys:

_Vedha: yeahhhh the mock wedding was something that just kind of came to me one day & I ran with the idea._

_Mishrav Mikura: Guess you'll find out if they really got married after reading this one!_

_RJOHNNiiE: thanks for the congrats! By now I think you know that it was Undergrad haha but yeah, definitly agree with you about high school :P._

_Aizawa Li Syaoran Vessalius: Thank you annnd don't worry, all of your questions will be answered soon!_

_Lolgreeness: I'm glad you enjoyed ^_^._

_Deadflo: You're going to be mad at me again…I guess I have a habit of leaving things hanging!_

_KAwaii chibi Chidori-chan- Thank you!_

_Moon86: I really hope you enjoy this next chapter!_

_Dancedaze: I'm glad you're enojoying the story! I'm really hoping that I can start updating more often._

_Inufan155687: I'm excited to hear that you think my story is amazing! Woohoo!_

_Saki-Hime: Glad you liked the joke! Hope you enjoy the next chapter^_^_

_Hannachhuu: You speak the truth! I love them so much!_

_Dandy352: I'm glad you decided to read my story & that you're enjoying it! I hope to read more from you too!_

**x-x-x-x**

**Hokay! So here's Ch. 9 - Revelations. I hope you enjoy. Please let me know if something doesn't seem right! **

**Happy reading! **

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><p><strong>Disclaimer: <strong>

**I do not own any of the CCS characters - CLAMP has that right. [I do own this plot though & some original peeps^_^]**

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><p><em><span>Summary:<span>_

_Syaoran has been living a pretty comfortable life. Until a girl he meets during a Spring Break road trip shows up on his door step a week later, turning his comfortable world upside down._

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><p><strong>Chapter 9: Revelations <strong>

"Oh my…"

The two brunettes parted at the sound of Tomoyo's voice. Although they were very aware of the presence of their two friends, they did not move. Eye's remained locked on each other as if daring one another to blink and the air was still around them. Syaoran's hand found its way to Sakura's cheek and he wiped away a single tear speaking barely above a whisper,

"Sakura, I"

As if his voice brought her out of her trance like state, she flinched away from his touch and gasped for air, finally remembering to breathe.

"This was a mistake…" she said under her breath, shaking her head repeatedly. She took a few steps back as fresh tears began to spill down her cheeks.

She attempted to turn away when he took hold of her hand before she could move any farther.

"Sakura, just wait. Tell me what's wrong!" His eyes were filled with such concern for her and she couldn't bear to look at them any longer.

"I'm so sorry." With one last tug, Sakura pulled free of his grasp and stumbled into Tomoyo.

"Hey, what's going on?"

Tomoyo turned Sakura around to face her. Her eyes were red and strands of her hair were plastered to her face.

Unable to answer, Sakura let out another sob and sprinted towards the entrance of the tent. She didn't know how to face herself right now, let alone anyone else.

"Sakura!" Syaoran made a move to chase after her but was stopped by a swift shove from Eriol.

"What the hell is your problem?" the dark-haired boy yelled.

"My problem? What the hell is your problem?" Syaoran countered, catching himself before falling. He turned to face his cousin.

"Is this your idea of doing something crazy this break? You shouldn't have dragged her into this!"

Syaoran stared wide-eyed at Eriol's words. "Wait, Eriol, you don't understand. We were just—"

"Now, now, everyone if we could just settle down and explain things. Everything would be ok." Arthur chimed in, stepping between the two boys. Eriol looked from Arthur back to Syaoran with a look of confusion.

"Explain what? I don't think there's any way to explain the amount of stupidity in this entire situation."

Syaoran couldn't remember the last time he'd seen Eriol this upset. He was definitely missing something. Everyone knew what was wrong with Sakura except him and he was determined to find out.

Syaoran laughed quietly though his voice resonated throughout the tent. "You're the stupid one, Eriol. This is all just a—" He was cut off as Eriol's fist nearly collided with the side of his face. He managed to dodge with a side step, pushing Eriol forward onto the ground behind him. Arthur ducked out of the way of the two boys in time to avoid the collision.

"What was that for? Are you crazy?" Syaoran yelled as Eriol stood from the floor and adjusted his glasses; his hands clenched into fists and an angered expression upon his face. Eriol was beginning to remind Syaoran of himself when he was angry. As uncalled for as it was, Syaoran couldn't help but laugh a little at his cousins extreme behavior.

"Both of you just stop it!" Tomoyo yelled, clearly distraught. Eriol's attention went towards his girlfriend and his eyes softened.

"While the two of you are busy fighting over nothing, Sakura's out there by herself. We have to find her!"

Tomoyo was right but he had to do this by himself. There was something that Sakura wasn't telling him and he needed to know. He couldn't completely understand just why but there had been a complete change within him just a few moments ago, an uncomfortable burning inside of him like he had to get something off of his chest. He was most certain that it had to do with his feelings for Sakura.

Using this moment as a distraction, Syaoran made a move towards the front of the tent only to be stopped by Eriol once again.

"We'll go find her, you stay here. You've done enough damage." He commanded. Out of instinct and anger, Syaoran's fist collided with the side of his cousins face and Eriol staggered, his glasses launched across the room. "I'm done listening to you, Eriol. I've gotta do this my way."

"But it's not just about you! This whole situation has just as much to do with Sakura as it does you!"

Syaoran stopped in his tracks at the sound of Tomoyo's plea and turned slightly to face her. She stood next to the kneeling Eriol who was busy massaging the side of his face.

"Tomoyo, I can't say that I understand just what's happened to Sakura in the past but I want to make things better now. Just trust me, ok?"

Without waiting for a response, Syaoran continued towards the opening and exited the tent.

Tomoyo continued to stare at the spot where Syaoran previously was. She saw something in him. Determination, maybe? Confusion? Her thoughts traveled over a few more ideas until a memory came to her of a similar look she'd once seen from a certain boy. Her lips curved into a soft smile as realization dawned on her.

"I'm going after him." Eriol gathered his glasses from the floor and made a start to leave. Tomoyo swiftly grabbed his hand and stood in front of him "Don't. Just let him go." She whispered quietly. "I've seen that look before."

"You mean the look of a crazed person?" Eriol scoffed.

Tomoyo shook her head slowly and let out a soft laugh, "No, dear. The look of a desire to love." There were stars in her eyes as she said this.

Eriol's disbelieving expression told her that he wouldn't understand unless she explained it to him.

She held both of his hands. "Eriol, remember when you asked me out for the last time?"

He nodded and waited for her to continue, a pensive look upon her face. She let go of his hands and took a few steps forward, holding her arms behind her back.

"Do you remember what you told me that day?" she stopped and peered back at him over her shoulder.

"Of course. I told you that I knew from the start that you were special. That no matter what, I wanted to be with you and that I'd never hurt you. That you could trust me." He said this with a air of confidence in his voice. She laughed and pointed a finger in the air, "Exactly. Of course you couldn't see yourself but the look you gave me that day solidified my decision. That and well, one other situation but I'd had my reasons for not wanting to date you." She turned to face him and walked slowly towards him, taking his hands once more.

"You've never told me any of this before."

Tomoyo shrugged, "Didn't think about it. We'll talk about that later though."

"So what's this have to do with Syaoran?"

"His eyes. I saw that same look in Syaoran's eyes as he stood at the altar with Sakura and again before he left. Now I don't know what exactly possessed them to want to get married but just trust that he means well."

Eriol still looked upon his girlfriend with an incredulous expression but knew she was being serious.

"It's amazing how much women can figure out about us men in just a few minutes, huh?"

The couple turned quickly towards the sound of the new voice. Arthur cleared his throat as he stood from behind the podium where he'd ducked to avoid the brief confrontation.

"I may be able to fill you in on just a little of what's happened here." He spoke loudly and clearly. Eriol and Tomoyo exchanged quick glances before nodding in approval.

x-x-x-x-x-x

Sakura ran blindly until she came to an open clearing within the woods. Pulling off her shoes she tossed them aside and stumbled to her knees. She hadn't anticipated what took place. Eriol and Tomoyo were supposed to show up before the "wedding" could finish, there was never supposed to be a kiss and most of all there was never supposed to be that bubbling feeling inside of her. It had taken her by surprise and her heart ached because of it. She struggled to halt the tears, taking once last deep breath to finally calm her nerves. She hated that her emotions were so sporadic. In a matter of 5 minutes she went from being happy to nearly inconsolable. She closed her eyes and brought the last few minutes back into light.

For a brief moment while standing on the alter she'd pictured Hiro's face smiling down at her instead of Syaoran's and then their features blended together and all that was left in front of her was this boy she'd met just met not even a week ago and this completely familiar yet somehow foreign emotion inside of her. The feeling was certainly present once, a long time ago but within the last year she'd forgotten just what it was like. She felt her heart pace quick yet again with her ever changing emotions and reality dawned on her. She'd kissed Syaoran. He was the first person she'd kissed since Hiro and against the shouting cries from her brain, she let her intuition take hold…and it told her that it was ok.

She was growing frustrated with this constant battle within her over what was right and what was wrong and what she should or shouldn't do.

One thing was for sure is that she'd made the biggest mistake by going through with this plan. She hadn't thought through the emotional repercussion that it would have on her. The minute she'd met Syaoran she noticed the resemblance but chose to ignore it. The one thing that got to her the most were his eyes. They were the same amber that held the same amount of kindness as they stood at the altar just a few moments ago and when she'd fallen off the horse the day before yesterday. It was all too surreal for her. She'd simply expected to go on a relaxing Spring break trip with her cousin and her boyfriend and instead, wound up on a whirlwind emotional rollercoaster filled with loops and wrong turns and no safety nets.

"This whole trip was a mistake." She cried to herself. There was no response from her surroundings and she was pleased with that.

"You don't really believe that." Syaoran's voice cut through her serene moment and she sat up straight. There was a crunching of leaves from behind her as he made his way over to where she sat.

"You forgot this back there." He dropped a small object onto the ground next to her and took a few steps away. Sakura's eyes widened and she hurriedly retrieved the silver bracelet, quickly examining it. The clasp had broken and so she simply clutched it in her hands. 'It must've broken off when I ran.' She thought.

"I see you looking at it all the time. It must be really important to you."

Sakura glanced over her shoulder, Syaoran stood with his back to her and his hands in his pockets. She rose from her spot and turned to face him, looking down at the piece of jewelry in her hands. She mentally scolded herself for being so obvious about the true nature of the bracelet. Then again, Syaoran was unusually keen on picking up on things.

When she looked back up he'd turned back around and their eyes locked. Once again their hearts raced simultaneously and a silent staring contest ensued.

In all honesty, Syaoran didn't know what he wanted to say to her. He just knew that he needed answers. A surge of emotion had come upon him back in the tent and it was something he had to follow through on. The entire time that he was on this trip he was plagued by one thought. He tried to ignore the constant tugging that lingered in the back of his mind and masked the growing feeling with witty remarks and snappy comebacks but standing on the alter with her erased any doubt that he'd had. He'd grown to really like her. The day she'd fallen off the horse, he hadn't known that it was possible to feel so many emotions at once towards someone who was practically a stranger but she'd just had that effect on him.

Caving under the intensity of his gaze, Sakura broke her line of sight and turned her head towards the trees. Her fingers fidgeting slightly with the piece of jewelry in her hand.

"Sakura, would you just talk to me?"

She looked up but quickly turned away, startled at the urgency in his voice.

"Syaoran you should leave. Now's not the time." She whispered, avoiding his eyes.

"I can't, Sakura. I need to know what's going on!"

"Why do you need to know, Syaoran? You don't even know me." She was slightly angered by his persistence. She just wanted to be left alone to figure this out for herself. She couldn't begin to even think of where to start if she even tried to explain everything.

Her words stung him. Although she was right he didn't think that there could be that much more to her than what he'd already learned about her.

"Does it have to do with your bracelet? Did that Hiro guy give it to you?"

Her eyes widened at the mention of his name. She wasn't aware that Syaoran even knew who he was, let alone that he was someone important to her.

Syaoran's impatience was completely warn at this point. "Sakura, it's not ok that he hurt you. My sisters were the same way whenever they broke up with someone. Bad break ups happen all the time but you can't run around holding on to a piece of jewelry that's a constant reminder of it. You need to move on."

She was stunned by his words and what happened next was out of pure anger. There was a deafening clap as her palm collided with his cheek.

"Don't you dare, Syaoran! Don't you dare begin to even talk about things you don't know anything about!"

Her voice and eyes were almost threatening. He never would have believed that she could harvest such anger. She took a few steps away from him, once again, and knelt to the soft grass below. Standing in her emotional state proved to be dangerous.

Syaoran's hand lay on the side of his cheek and he kept his eyes to the floor. His assumption, like all assumptions, was just that. When he'd overheard Sakura whisper Hiro's name the other day, he'd believed that he was just some ex-boyfriend. By the looks of what just happened—he was wrong. There was a lot more to his Hiro guy that he just wasn't understanding.

"Then give me a chance to learn." he looked intently at her, taking a few steps in her direction.

"Sakura, meeting you has been the best things that's happened to me in this last week."

Sakura covered her ears. She couldn't stand to listen to him say something like that. Who was he to claim that she was one of the best things that had happened to him? They didn't even know each other all that well. He knew nothing about her past. He knew nothing about her guilt.

He stopped walking, "You don't have to listen to me but I'm going to say what I have to say anyways," he started.

"I came on this trip….to escape my mundane life. I needed a little excitement and what did I get?" He paused and chuckled quietly, "On the first day, I was attacked by this crazy girl." He smiled sheepishly. A smile dared to creep onto her lips but she quickly uncurled them.

"And soon I became so used to this crazy girl and realized that she wasn't crazy at all," he continued, taking a few steps towards her again.

"I may not have known you long and I may not know everything about you…but I know enough to realize that you're something special. And I know I felt something between us when we kissed." He was right above her now and knelt to be eye level with her. Sakura's eyes were closed as tight as possible.

"You can lie to me and tell me that you didn't…but I know you felt something too."

He was so close to her that she could feel the warmth from his breath but she didn't dare move an inch. He brought his hand up to her cheek but hesitated before bringing it back to his side. She squeezed her eyes even tighter and clamped her hands harder over her ears and then the warmth was gone and it was quiet.

"I was never one to be so straight forward….especially about my feelings. But this trip was supposed to be about making changes and taking risks, right?" His voice sounded farther than it was before and she peeked through her clenched eyes to see that he'd walked back to the outskirts of the clearing.

Whatever you're going through Sakura—whatever you've been through—you don't have to face it alone anymore. We're here for you…I'm here for you."

Sakura fully opened her eyes at his last statement. As hard as she'd tried to block him out it was impossible. She let her hands fall to her side as she watched his retreating figure.

"I'll see you back at the lake house when you're ready."

With those last words he continued out of the clearing and back into the forest towards the house. She wasn't alone for long before Tomoyo ran into sight shortly after he'd left. Worry was written all over her face but she remained speechless as she tackled Sakura into a hug. They lay on the ground together, Tomoyo grappling onto Sakura's neck as Sakura lay on her back, returning the hug. After what seemed like a minute, she'd found her voice to speak again. If she wanted to figure things out and get past this, Syaoran was right, she couldn't do it alone anymore.

"I'm so sorry, Tomoyo. Things weren't supposed to be this way."

"It's alright. Arthur told us everything." Tomoyo stroked the back of her head soothingly as they sat up. Sakura breathed a sigh of relief knowing that she wouldn't have to explain the prank.

"Are you ok though?"

Tomoyo cupped Sakura's face between both of her hands and swiped a few tears from her cheeks.

"I'll be ok." Sakura smiled meekly with a nod. Tomoyo rose from the ground and pulled Sakura to her feet.

"Do you want to head back to the house?"

"In a little bit…I just want to talk-for real this time-I need to tell you something." Sakura smiled wearily. There was a lot she needed to get off of her chest before heading back inside.

"Remember the dream I mentioned a few days ago?"

"Oh! That reminds me! I had this dream—well..a memory really, about the two of us, that I really wanted to tell you about but I'm sorry…you first!"

Tomoyo held back her excitement and laughed. Sakura was relieved that things weren't awkward between them and laughed along with her best friend.

"Well I guess they're sort of similar. My dreams were actually more like memories. I used to have dreams like that about him all the time right after it happened, " Sakura took a deep breath. Tomoyo was listening attentively as she continued, " I think I started having them again because of Syaoran. I'm sure you've noticed the resemblance between them. It's so…weird."

Tomoyo nodded in agreement. "I mean aside from their hair and maybe their height, they're practically one in the same. It's those eyes!"

Sakura shook her head with a chuckle, "No, I wouldn't say that. Yeah, their eyes may be the same but their personalities sure are different. I don't think Hiro was ever as annoying as Syaoran is. I swear I just want to punch him sometimes! And what's with his hair? I don't think it's ever seen a comb. Hiro's hair was always put together." The two girls laughed at her statement. Sakura smiled inwardly to herself. She suddenly found it easier to talk about him and to say Hiro's name without any harsh emotional side effects.

"But it suits him." Tomoyo said with a sideways glance at Sakura.

Sakura shrugged, "Yeah, I guess it's kind of cute."

"Aha! So you DO think Syaoran's cute!" Tomoyo shouted gleefully. Sakura threw her hand over her cousins mouth and rolled her eyes.

"Wake up the whole forest, why dontcha?"

Tomoyo's muffled giggles continue to break through the silent forest and Sakura rolled her eyes and laughed.

& that's when she felt it. She felt lighter and a little more at ease as they continued to walk. As easy as it sounded she never realized how much just talking about it made things better.

"Hey, Tomoyo?" Sakura grabbed hold of Tomoyo's hand as the lake house came into view.

Tomoyo turned to Sakura with a smile.

"Thank you. For everything. This trip, this talk—for trying so hard to bring me back to life. Thank you."

"Anytime, Sakura. That's what I'm here for." She gave Sakura's hand a comforting squeeze and leaned her head on her shoulder. She was truly satisfied with the way things turned out. Her mission was a success.

"Don't think you're off the hook about Syaoran though. You do like him, don't you?" Tomoyo interrupted the sentimental moment with a nudge.

Sakura rolled her eyes and let out a disgruntled sigh. "You're such a hopeless romantic, Tomoyo. Is that all you think about?" She wasn't going to get away with not answering the question. Tomoyo nodded with approval and looped her arm into Sakura's.

"Well I did agree to marry him, after all. If that answers your question." She said slyly, using her hands to gesture to the gown she was still wearing. The once white gown was scattered with grass stains and a few dirt spots here and there. She hoped that Arthur wouldn't be too displeased with the condition of his costume. She'd return it in the morning

"Does he know?"

"I don't think so, really."

"So I get to continue playing matchmaker?" Tomoyo cheered. They'd reached the front door of the lake house and Sakura stopped before the steps.

"No. No more matchmaking." She said in a tone of seriousness and Tomoyo's grin faltered into a pout.

"I'm not sure that I'm ready for all of this, Tomoyo. I need some time to figure things out for myself before I drag anyone else back into this mess." She held Tomoyo's gaze in order to get her point across.

"I understand" Tomoyo agreed reluctantly, and followed behind Sakura as they walked up the steps and into the house.

x-x-x-x

"You're lucky it's only a bruise." Eriol lifted the icepack from his eye and sat it on the small table in front of him.

Syaoran made his way into the living room and took a seat on the couch next to his cousin.

"I'm lucky?" he smirked. He ran his hands through his hair and leaned back with a loud sigh.

It wasn't even noon but he was drained, physically, mentally and emotionally. He took his tie and loosened it from around this neck.

"I'm sorry about that, I was just a little caught up in the moment." Syaoran folded his arms behind his head and closed his eyes.

Eriol removed his glasses and cleaned them briefly before placing them back on his face.

"It's ok. I was a little out of line too & don't worry, Arthur explained everything to us after you two ran off. He was pretty shaken up so we had to fill him in too." He laughed.

"I just wish someone would explain everything to me." Syaoran sat up and placed his elbows on his knees, lacing his hands behind his head. It seemed like everyone knew the whole story but him.

"Did you mean what you said last night?" Eriol questioned, he stood and walked into the kitchen. Syaoran looked back at him questioningly.

"About how you feel about her." Eriol continued.

Syaoran thought back to all that he'd said the night before. Of course the majority of what he said was completely farfetched but the underlying feelings behind it were real.

"If you're asking me if I really care about her then the answer is yes." Syaoran said bluntly. "Can you tell me what's going on? You know how much I hate being left in the dark about things."

Eriol returned to the couch with two glasses of water and handed one to Syaoran.

"It's not for me to tell."

"Then can you at least tell me about this Hiro guy? I feel like I can't even compete against him." Syaoran said frustratingly. Eriol shook his head, slightly amused by his cousin's bemused state. The situation wasn't a laughing matter but it had been while since he'd even seen Syaoran this worked up about someone. It was amazing how fast one person could change another. The week wasn't even over yet but he'd already seen a big difference in Syaoran.

"Like I said, it's not for me to tell. If you really care about her, then she'll tell you herself."

Syaoran let out another unsatisfied grunt. Eriol rose from the couch and into a stretch, "Well, I don't know about you but I'm going to go take a nice relaxing shower. This morning was a bit too eventful for my liking."

Syaoran remained unresponsive as his cousin walked down the hall. "Oh and Syaoran," Eriol called before turning into his room.

"I've got to hand it to you. It was a great prank. But if you ever do something like this again, I'll make sure to bruise _your_ face."

Syaoran's laughter was nearly uncontainable after hearing the emphasis that Eriol had placed on the word 'your'.

"It was Sakura's idea! But keep dreaming, Eriol. You'll only end up bruising yourself in the end." He let a few chuckles escape him as he heard Eriol's bedroom door slam shut and he settled back into the silence of the house.

He had to agree though, it had been a very eventful morning.

The front door opened and he could hear the soft animated chatter from the two girls. They seemed to be in a good enough mood which settled his racing mind. He hadn't really thought about what his next confrontation with Sakura would be like.

Their voices died down as they came upon Syaoran in the living room.

"I'll be right back," Sakura hurried down the hallway to her room, avoiding any immediate contact with Syaoran, and closed the door. He was a bit relieved at this. It would give him a little more time to figure out just what would come next. Tomoyo sighed loudly and took a seat next to him on the sofa.

"What a day!" she announced, stretching her arms out above her.

"Day? It's only 12 o'clock. The day hasn't even really begun yet." He murmured.

Tomoyo pulled her hair up into a messy ponytail and leaned back into the seat. A loud yawn escaped her and she covered her mouth politely with her hand.

"Where's Eriol?"

"The shower." Syaoran nodded his head towards the hallway where the bedrooms were and Tomoyo responded with a similar gesture.

"She wants to talk to you soon."

Syaoran looked over at Tomoyo, "I don't even know what to say to her. Is she feeling better? I don't work well around crying girls. There's been too much of that this morning." Syaoran exclaimed nervously. Tomoyo's soft laughter overlapped his voice. "She's fine. Just, be honest and be a good listener. She's got a lot going on right now but I think she's more willing to open up to you now. I mean, you are married after all." She winked before standing from the couch.

"Very funny, Tomoyo."

She continued down the hall towards her room and Syaoran stood and walked to the sliding glass door. A squeaking noise alerted him that Sakura's room door had opened

"It's such a beautiful day. It's a shame to waste it inside." She said quietly from behind him. Syaoran turned around to see her, now dressed casually. Her eyes were no longer red and puffy, her cheeks were clear of any streaks of tears and she seemed relaxed. A smile played on her lips, "So are we going to go outside or what?"

Syaoran grinned broadly before opening the door and stepping aside, letting her pass by before following behind her and closing the door.

The clouds shielded them from the beating sun and there was a light breeze from off of the lake. They sat quietly on the pier, just as they had on the first day they'd met. Things were much different now even if it had only been 3 days.

"Expect the unexpected—" Sakura was the first to break the silence.

Syaoran looked over at her curiously.

"It's what my brother's best friend used to tell me all the time. I used to live by those words. I mean, I get it…to always be prepared for what you can't control but why not just live your life in a way that you can completely control? What would happen if we all just stopped having expectations?"

Her legs swung back and forth and she had an innocent air about her. Syaoran thought back to what Tomoyo had said and remained quiet, simply listening to what Sakura was saying.

"I didn't think anything like this would happen on this trip. My brother would flip if I told him I got married!" she laughed and nudged Syaoran in the arm.

"My sisters would kill me for not inviting them to the wedding." He said in response. He folded his arms behind his head and lay back against the pier. The thought of his sisters reminded him of him of what he'd left behind before break. Specifically, Meiling. He suddenly felt guilty for practically forgetting the promise he'd made to her and for not calling her at all the entire time that he was here. He knew it was wrong but he hadn't felt the desire to speak with her. Especially with Sakura around. She made him forget about everything that he had to go back to. But it was something that he would have to deal with when he got back, he knew that for sure.

Sakura lay back just as he did and let out a long sigh.

"I'm really sorry about everything that happened this morning."

Sakura turned her head to the side to look at him and smiled, "Don't be. It's as much my fault too. I should have been more open with you about everything."

She turned her head back and stared at the sky.

"You look like him, you know. Hiro."

Syaoran continued to watch her as she spoke, not wanting to miss a single word she was about to say.

"I think that's initially why I started to feel so comfortable around you. I was distant at first but—"

"it was my charm, wasn't it?" Syaoran chimed in.

"Anything but!" Sakura laughed. "You guys look the same but personality wise, you really know how to get under someone's skin."

A silence settled once more following their laughter.

"We were together for about a year." Sakura removed the bracelet from her pocket and held it up in front of her face. It glimmered in the sun and swayed with the breeze.

"But we were best friends all throughout high school. He told me once that he liked me and I completely denied him. It wasn't until senior year when I realized that I liked him too. I finally found the courage to tell him and we were together from that day on."

She brought the bracelet back down and held it in her hands.

"He gave me this bracelet because he said I changed his life. He told me that I helped him live again, that life before me wasn't really worth living." Her smile curved into a light frown and she took another deep breath.

Syaoran was surprised about how fast she opened up to him. How personal she was being.

"It was almost the beginning of summer after my freshman year when I got the call from my brother." She sat up slowly and kept her eyes to the water.

"I couldn't believe what had happened because I'd just spoken with him the night before. So when Touya called and told me that he was gone…I didn't say anything. I couldn't say anything."

"Sakura, wait he di-?" he sat up quickly, realizing what she was telling him.

She hadn't allowed him to finish his sentence before her sobs overtook her. She leaned into his chest and continued to cry. Syaoran was in a shock, his arms hovered around her, unsure of if he should touch her or not. Carefully, he brought his arms down and wrapped her into an embrace. He hadn't expected that the secret behind her was something like this. 'I feel like such an asshole…'

This mystery man that he was so set on competing against wasn't even alive. He felt stupid for saying what he did to her back in the clearing.

"Sakura, I'm so sorry. I didn't know. it's going to be ok…" He kicked himself mentally, 'It's ok, Syaoran? Of course it's not ok!'

Her sobs quieted and her breathing became a little less staggered. He continued to gently stroke the back of her head while making hushed noises.

"Have you ever lost someone, Syaoran?" she pulled herself to arms length and wiped her face with the back of her hands. He removed the handkerchief from his front pocket and wiped any remaining tears from her face. The front of his tuxedo was socked in her tears but he didn't care at this point.

He nodded slowly, "I lost my father when I was younger."

Sakura looked up at him with a knowing expression and nodded.

"It hurts so much sometimes. I locked myself away after it happened. I didn't want to be around anyone." She whispered, using his handkerchief to continue wiping her face. He was beginning to put all the pieces into place. He understood now just what exactly she was going through and why everything turned out the way it did.

"I came on this trip, hoping to finally break free from the last 2 years and to make Tomoyo happy, of course" she chuckled lightly. "I think I did the exact opposite though."

"I don't think that's true," Sakura looked up at him. "For one thing, Tomoyo is ecstatic that you even came on this trip. And…about breaking free…I think you've come a long way from where you used to be."

She hesitated and took in his words before nodding.

"It's a work in progress, I guess…"

"Of course. It's not going to happen overnight. When my father died, I locked myself away from the world. It took me nearly 5 years to really even be able to talk about it. I'd say that you're doing much better than I did." Syaoran smiled reassuringly at her. Sakura leaned back into him and he rested his chin upon her head. His hands soothingly rubbed her back. Sakura breathed in deeply, her head felt light from all the crying but her heart felt even lighter. She understood now just how much talking about everything had an effect on her.

"Thank you," she whispered into his chest. Slowly, she brought herself up to face him. Their faces were inches apart and she met his eyes. There was that look again. The one he'd given her just before they kissed at the altar. She turned her head away from him and made a move to stand. Taking a moment, she let her heart rate calm once more and extended a hand to help him up.

"Thank you so much for everything. I know I just kind of threw everything at you so suddenly but..I think I just needed to get to get it off my chest." She laughed.

"Don't worry about it. I told you earlier, I'm here for you." He placed his hand upon her shoulder and smiled. She took hold of his hand and held it in hers.

"About earlier, what you said about the kiss." Syaoran eyed her as she struggled to find the words she wanted to say. He gave her hand a gentle squeeze and she looked up at him.

"It was nice. But I think I still need more time to figure things out myself."

A tinge of sadness ran through him but he simply smiled and nodded. "I understand."

"But I like you," she let go of his hand and held hers behind her back, staring out at the lake.

"I want to be able to like you without…without thinking about _him_." She turned to face him with a sad smile. "I really hope you understand." She added quietly.

It seemed like all he could do was tell her that he understood as he nodded once more. In the end, it was up to her how she felt.

"Hey, newlyweds! Lunch is ready!"

They turned to see Tomoyo and Eriol standing at the glass door, waving for them to come inside.

"They're never going to let us live this down," Sakura muttered as they started their walk back to the house.

A smirk spread across Syaoran's lips, "Then let's not disappoint them!"

In one swift motion he scooped Sakura up into his arms and jogged towards their friends. Sakura laughed loudly, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck as he carried her into the house.

x-x-x-x

"Got any 7's?"

"Go fish."

"3's?"

"Nope."

Sakura let out a frustrating sigh, "Guys we really don't have to keep this up. It's a beautiful day! ..well…night."

She made a gesture towards the waning sun. "We should be taking advantage of it." Throwing her cards down, she stood from the table and walked towards the sliding glass door.

"Well what do you have in mind?" Eriol pushed his glasses up onto his nose and set his cards down. Tomoyo rose to get a cup a water and Syaoran continued to stare lazily at his hand of cards.

The rest of the day dragged on in a slow haze. After lunch, they'd decided to rest for a couple of hours before starting their day but their naps dragged on into the early evening.

"I don't know! Anything but this." Sakura replied, folding her arms across her chest.

Syaoran sat up with a yawn and stretched, "I guess we could always go back to the carnival."

Eriol and Tomoyo quickly exchanged glances and turned their attention to Sakura. She turned around and nodded, her eyes bright.

"Sounds like a good plan to me!"

"Well, it's settled then. Let's get ready!" Tomoyo exclaimed excitedly and hurried down the hall to get ready.

x-x-x-x

The group walked along the crowded pathway that led straight through the middle of the carnival. Vendors of all sorts bordered the perimeter, shouting to sample their products or just try their luck at a quick game. The group chatted merrily, each holding onto something from the festivities of their evening. They'd played a variety of games, ridden almost every ride, sampled all kinds of different foods, and even ran into Arthur along the way. He'd decided to close down his chapel for the rest of the day and was grateful that everything turned out fine. Sakura's mind roamed to what was up ahead and she gulped in fear. At the end of the lane was a large tent that had been converted into a haunted house. She hated anything that dealt with ghosts or the supernatural and she couldn't believe that she'd agreed to go through with walking through an attraction that was dedicated to those sorts of things. The thought alone was simply too much for her and she veered off suddenly to a random cart as a distraction.

"Sakura? You ok?

Sakura waved her hand back at Tomoyo and smiled, "Yeah! I'll be right back. I just wanted to look at something."

"You're not chickening out, are you?" Syaoran smirked and crossed his arms. "No, Syaoran. Now leave me be, I'll be right back." Sakura shot him a glare before bringing her attention back to the small cart. With a giant sigh she placed her hands on the counter and took a few deep breaths to calm her nerves.

"You're afraid of the haunted house, aren't you?"

Sakura looked up to see a young girl, probably a few years younger than she was, sitting at a stool towards the back of the cart. She rose from the seat and joined Sakura by the counter.

"Is it that easy to tell?" Sakura chuckled nervously. The girl nodded with a knowing smile.

"Honestly, I don't even go near those things. I don't see the excitement in scaring myself half to death!"

Sakura raised both of her hands in the air, "Exactly! I think they're crazy if you ask me."

The two girls laughed conjointly and settled back into a comfortable silence. Sakura took a look around the small cart and a smile crept over her lips.

"But they're my best friends so I don't to miss out on any moments with them. I trust that they'll protect me from any craziness that goes on in that place." She finished with a bright smile.

"I agree." The girl replied.

Sakura's hand reached out and picked up 4 items that hung from the roof of the cart. "How much are these?" she inquired.

The girl shook her head and simply smiled, "You can just have 'em. Tonight is my last night here anyways and you're the first person that's been here all night."

Sakura looked surprised, "Are you sure? I mean, I don't want you to get in trouble or anything!"

The girl held up her hands in a declining motion, "It's fine. I made them myself. Well, my best friend and I made them together right before Spring Break. We made everything that you see here. Usually she's here with me but she had to spend the break taking care of her little brother."

Sakura still couldn't believe what the girl was saying and stared at the 4 items in her hand.

"Sakura, hurry up and stop stalling you big chicken!"

Sakura shot daggers in Syaoran's direction and he ducked behind Tomoyo as if her gaze was really out to get him.

The girl behind the counter laughed again. "Have fun and enjoy their company. I'm going to head home for the night."

Sakura turned back to the girl and placed the four items in her purse. "Thank you again! And I hope you get to spend some time with your friend."

They said their goodbyes one last time before Sakura ran to rejoin the group.

x-x-x-x-x

Sakura clung tightly to Syaoran's arm as they walked through the darkness of the haunted house.

"I think I'm losing circulation, Sakura."

Out of spite, she squeezed his arm harder before loosening her grip and bringing her arms back down to her side. So far, they hadn't really run anything to frightening.

Syaoran reached over and took Sakura's hand in his causing her to jump slightly at the touch of his hand. She was surprised that the brightness on her cheeks wasn't filling the room with light and she could have sworn that she heard him laugh a little.

Syaoran enjoyed the feel of her hand within his, like they molded together as one. He had to calm his nerves, his heart was nearly beating out of his chest as they continued walking through the darkness.

"Hey, I have to tie my shoe. Hold on a second."

Reluctantly, Syaoran let go of her hand and the group came to a halt. They were the last ones to go through the haunted house for the night.

Any glimmer of light had disappeared the moment Sakura knelt down to tie her shoe and there was an eerie silence amongst the group. There was a loud cackling, random growls from various parts of the room and flashes of lightning that revealed the faint movements of people—or things—that weren't in the room just moments before. Tomoyo let out a frightened scream and there was a scamper of feet and then more silence.

Sakura sat alone in the darkness, all of this happening in a matter of 5 seconds, with little time for a reaction.

"Guys?"

There was another cackle from the witch like figure that hovered above her and a howl from a far corner of the room. She yelped in fear and knelt back to the floor, wrapping herself into somewhat of an upright fetal position.

'Why did I decide to go through with this? They were supposed to stick with me!'

Closing her eyes tightly, she continued to hug her knees to her chest.

A hand reached out from the dark room and grabbed hold of her shoulder and she rolled onto her back. She violently flailed her arms in order to ward of her attacker but stopped when she'd hear her name.

"Can you stop swinging? I came back to get you!"

She was relieved, scared and upset all at the same time when she realized that it was only Syaoran. She remained on the floor, still frozen in disbelief and fear.

The lights burst on and revealed Syaoran leaning over her.

"You shouldn't have left me in the first place!" she yelled.

"When the lights went out, I reached for your hand after I'd heard the scream but by the time we got out I realized that I had grabbed Tomoyo instead!"

The workers of the haunted house laughed quietly from their positions, "We're really sorry about that! We knew how afraid you were but couldn't resist."

Sakura laughed timidly, "I'm a pretty easy scare. I'm glad I was able to make your night!" The group laughed along with her before exiting the tent.

"Come on, let's get out of here." Syaoran knelt down, his back to her.

"What are you doing?" she eyed him curiously.

"What's it look like? I'm offering you a piggy back ride. You don't have to take it," he made a motion to stand and Sakura quickly leapt onto his back.

"And miss out a free ride? Never!" she held tightly to his neck as he stood from the ground. She hugged herself closely to his body, enjoying the warmth that resonated from him.

There was a buzzing noise and sensation from his back pocket and he fidgeted awkwardly in an attempt to retrieve his cell phone.

"Hey, do you think you could get that for me? Just tell whoever it is that I'll call them back soon."

Sakura nodded and reached her hand down into his back pocket.

"Sakura! Stop trying to touch my butt!" Syaoran joked around, swaying from side to side as he walked with her on his back.

"Ugh, you wish Syaoran. You're not that cute. Now hold still!"

"Well you did marry me so I've gotta be some kind of cute!" he said playfully.

Sakura rolled her eyes and managed to pluck the phone from his pocket, nearly dropping it in the process. The screen was blank when she was finally able to look at it.

"Who is it?" Syaoran glanced back at her.

Sakura shrugged lazily and placed the phone back in his pocket, "I dunno. When I looked there was no one there. It was probably a wrong number."

"Hm.." Syaoran nodded hesitantly and continued his pace. There was a strange feeling in his gut.

After leaving the haunted house, they found Eriol and Tomoyo near the front of the now closing carnival. Syaoran released Sakura from his back and stretched.

"What a long day!" Tomoyo exclaimed, standing by Syaoran's side.

Syaoran retrieved the phone from his pocket and checked his call list. There was a feeling that he just couldn't shake. The last call to his phone had lasted 13 seconds and guilt swept over him almost instantly at the sight of the name.

x-x-x-x-x-x

Meiling hadn't moved from her spot on the bed.

"Well? Why didn't you leave a voicemail?" Fei Mei asked eagerly as she waited for Meiling's reply.

"He answered…"

"So why didn't you say anything?" Fei Mei inquired. Meiling's entire demeanor changed as the conversation continued to unfold.

"He's with another girl…" she whispered.

Fei Mei gave Meiling her complete and undivided attention, "Are you sure?"

"Of course I'm sure! I heard them talking in the background. I just hung up.

Fei Mei widened her eyes with curiosity like a child in a candy store.

"Well what were they saying?" she inquired.

Meiling paused as if she were wracking her brain for what they were saying but she'd remember clearly. A few tears formed on the brim of her eyes and she quickly wiped them away. With a deep breath she stood and walked towards the window of the room. Something just didn't make sense but at least she understood just why he hadn't been calling her. There was another girl there besides Tomoyo. Her thoughts continued to wander and she hadn't noticed when Fei Mei joined her by the window.

She placed a comforting hand upon Meiling's shoulder, "What's wrong?"

Meiling inhaled and refused to release the breath. She felt as though as soon as she did the tears would begin to fall. Sure enough, she was right. The tears slowly spilled from her eyes down the side of her cheeks. She wiped a few of them away before continuing,

"…I think Syaoran got married."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Fini! Won't take up too much space down here but thank you again for reading! As always, i'm open to critiques, comments, suggestions, concerns, &amp; just about anything else you can throw my way. :) <strong>

**I'm gonna get some much needed sleep so I can start Ch. 10 with a fresh mind. Ahhh this story is going to get soooooo crazy...it's not even funny. ...Alright, so I'm laughing about it because I know but i'm sure you reallly want to know what's going to happen!**

**'til next time~**

**Have a wonderful evening/morning/afternoon!**

**Always, **

**Synea K. **


	10. Expect The Unexpected

**AN: Hello! Another update in less than a month? It's the kwasiest thing I've eva hewd! (SN:….so I used to watch Digimon Tamers & one of the characters said that in an episode & I swear every time I hear someone say "That's the craziest thing I ever heard" I bust out into giggles b/c I hear it like how I wrote it in my head!] **

**This chapter is probably the longest chapter I've ever written o_o. I'm surprised I was able to put it out so quickly but I had to sacrifice some sleep for it (it's going on 3am again!) But I think it was worth it. Everything comes full circle at this point**

**After this, I'll try to update as soon as I can. I just got a new part time job at this super cool hibachi/sushi restaurant so that will be taking up a lot of my time but it'll only make me look forward to coming home to write!**

**Thank you once again for all of the reviews & alerts and just for reading! If you're happy then that makes me happy! & if you're not….then I'll work harder to make things better :). **

**Mkay I'm done rambling! Enjoy! ^_^**

* * *

><p><strong>Disclaimer<strong>

**I do not own any of the CCS characters - CLAMP has that right. [I do own this plot and a couple original peeps though^_^]**

* * *

><p><em><span>Summary:<span>_

_Syaoran has been living a pretty comfortable life until a girl he meets during a spontaneous Spring Break road trip shows up on his door step a week later, turning his comfortable world upside down._

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 10: Expect The Unexpected<strong>

"Hey, have you seen that girl recently?"

"I don't know, Touya. I've seen a lot of girls." Yukito laughed. He continued to wrap a band around a freshly cut bouquet of flowers.

Touya rolled his eyes, "Yuki, you know who I'm talking about. She stands outside while her boyfriend comes in here to pick out some flowers for their wedding or whatever. She looks really familiar."

He peaked through the closed blinds, the declining sun casting an orange glow over the buildings outside. A single car passed by on the road.

"You think so? I've never really gotten a good look at her. She did come into the shop once though when you weren't here but she stayed near the front of the store."

Yukito took off his apron and placed it on a shelf behind the counter and walked towards the door where Touya was waiting.

They exited the little shop and Yukito locked the door behind them before they set off for Touya's car.

"I could be wrong. But it's a little weird that she doesn't come inside when I'm here. I caught her staring at me a few times from the window."

Yukito chuckled, "Maybe she's afraid of you."

Touya shot him a glare. "Whatever. Women are weird."

"If you say so, Touya." Yukito laughed.

They reached the cemetery within minutes. Before leaving the store, Yukito had arranged a beautiful bouquet of cherry & peach blossoms to lay upon Nadeshiko's grave. They'd been meaning to pay their respects earlier in the week but didn't have the time. Spring Break would be ending soon which meant that their busy schedules would continue to grow. Touya turned the car off and was about to get out when someone caught his eye. The both of them sat in silence as the girl they'd just been speaking of walked by the spot where they'd parked. In her hands she held the flowers they'd sold to her fiancé earlier that afternoon. He came by to finalize the flowers that would be used for the wedding and asked for another bouquet for his fiancé.

Yukito looked over at his friend who's eyes were steadily watching as the girl traversed amongst the many graves. They both remained still as she knelt down and placed the flowers in front of a tombstone before quickly walking back towards her waiting vehicle.

When the car had driven out of sight, Touya and Yukito exited and slowly walked towards the grave where she'd left the flowers.

The tombstone seemed fairly new compared to those that had been there throughout the years. As if mentally in tuned with each other, both boys turned to look at one another upon reading the name of the deceased.

"I remember her now." Touya said quietly.

Yukito nodded, "I haven't seen her in almost 2 years. I guess she ended up going away to school."

Touya knelt down to the grave. Removing one single cherry blossom from the bunch, he placed it within the group of flowers that the girl had left before standing.

They walked on in silence towards the place where Nadeshiko was laid to rest.

"I wonder how Sakura is doing."

Touya continued to walk in silence until they reached his mother's grave. He lay the flowers down and closed his eyes, reciting a quick prayer.

"I'm sure she's doing just fine. She's pretty tough."

Yukito nodded in agreement , "Definitely a Kinomoto. " he smiled. They walked back to the car in silence, Touya's thoughts drifting back to the girl.

x-x-x-x-x

Meiling sat by the window, the weather was definitely reflecting her mood as another streak of lightning bolted across the darkened sky. Rain poured down and there seemed to be no real end in sight.

Syaoran's 4 sisters sat on the floor of the guest bedroom speaking amongst themselves. Initially they'd come to keep hercompany but all that really consisted of was speculation if Syaoran really had gotten married on his spring break adventure and which form of torture they would use on him first if it turned out that it was true.

Her phone lit up and pulsed with vibrations. As much as she really didn't feel like talking to anyone at the moment, she definitely needed an excuse to leave the room without his sisters following her. She excused herself quietly and answered the call.

"Hey,"

"Hey yourself! Why do you sound so gloomy?" the voice recited loudly.

"Am I really that obvious?" Meiling sighed and continued to walk down the hall. Emi let out a small laugh, "Yes, you are. Now what's up? You're supposed to be enjoying yourself! What happened?"

Meiling walked into the nearest room and closed the door behind her. She headed straight for the bed and threw herself onto it.

"It's Syaoran!" she mumbled into the sheets.

She heard Emi gasp and she rolled her eyes. Her friend had always been so over dramatic about everything.

"Oh no, what happened?"  
>Meiling took a deep breath and exhaled, "He's married!" she whined.<p>

There was complete silence from the other end of the line. No doubt she was trying to comprehend what Meiling had just told her.

"Really, Meiling? That's just crazy talk. What makes you think that?" she laughed.

Meiling continued to talk into the pillow, "I overheard him say it over the phone. I called him and I guess he answered by mistake but I heard him saying something about 'Well you did marry me, blah blah blah.' She cried into the phone.

"Meiling—get a hold of yourself! Since when were you so quick to jump to conclusions? If he didn't tell you himself, then you can't just assume that it's true. Plus, there's no way that someone just goes off on Spring Break and get's married. From what you've told me he's not one to be super spontaneous like that."

Meiling glared at her cell phone momentarily but knew she was right. Oh how the tables had turned. She was usually the one telling Emi not to get so worked up over things and hear she was at the other end of the stick.

"Are you there?"

"Yeah, yeah. You're right, Ems. But he hasn't called me at all this break and the only reason for that could be because there's another girl!"

"Then you'll just have to wait 'til you both get back to town and ask him yourself, unless you're brave enough to call him now!" Emi giggled.

Meiling shook her head, "Definitely not! I'll take my chances and wait."

"Good. Then stop worrying!"

Meiling smiled, "So what are you up to?"

"Ugh, packing. I'm heading back to town with Tokato in the morning. I just wanted to call to see when you were coming back so we could catch up!"

"I'm thinking of leaving some time tomorrow afternoon. That way, I have the weekend to get myself together before school starts back." Meiling said quietly into the phone. '_And it'll give me a few days to find out what's up with Syaoran.' _

"Meiling, stop thinking about him! It'll only make you more crazy."

Meiling laughed, "You always know how to read my mind! Fine, but it's not going to be easy since I AM at his house with his family."

"Then how about this. After this phone call, turn off your phone and tell one of his sisters to hide it. It'll be one less thing to worry about if you're not constantly checking your phone for his call. That way, you can enjoy your time with them even more!"

Meiling was about to respond but waited, thinking about what Emi had just proposed. It sounded dumb but it's not like her worrying that Syaoran had gotten married made any sense either.

"Ok, I'll try that. I won't turn my phone back on at all today but text me in the morning before you leave, ok?"

"Gotcha! Now go enjoy the rest of your day! If I call you later and your phones on, I'll be mad!" Emi joked.

"Ok, ok! I'll talk to you later. Have a good day."

"Bye!"

Meiling ended the call and opened her recent call log. She thought about calling Syaoran but instead held down the power button and watched as the screen turned black. If she wanted to enjoy herself, she'd have to do what Emi said and not worry about it.

The door to the bedroom opened and Feimei flipped on the light, "There you are! We've been looking everywhere for you. Didn't think we'd find you in here though." She stifled a giggle at the mention of their surroundings.

Meiling looked around suddenly and realized that she'd been in Syaoran's room this whole time. A blush spread across her cheeks as she rose from the bed.

"I didn't even realize! Let's get out of here." She laughed and headed towards the door.

"You left your phone!" Feimei shouted behind her.

Meiling continued to walk towards the stairs, "It's ok! Just leave it." She said before skipping down the steps.

Feimei looked from where Meiling stood back to the phone and placed it back on the bed before turning the lights off and closing the door behind her.

x-x-x-x-x

Tomoyo flipped a page of her book as Eriol quietly paddled their boat through the water. Their eyes met briefly and they both held back laughter. There were constant splashes from the vessel of their counterpart.

"You're paddling too fast, Sakura. You have to go slower."

"Who made you captain of this ship? I'm tired of going so slow. We've barely made it far from the shore!" Sakura retorted.

"Fine! You can paddle all by yourself." Syaoran took his paddle and tossed it away from their kayak.

"Children, children, settle down."

"Shut up, Eriol!" the two brunettes yelled simultaneously.

Tomoyo looked up at her adoring boyfriend and smiled as he shrugged and steered their vessel away from the disruptive one.

"Very mature, Syaoran." Sakura muttered, as she tried desperately to reclaim Syaoran's floating paddle with her own.

Syaoran looked past the girl at his cousin and they locked eyes. Eriol, sensing some sort of catastrophe after seeing the mischievous glint in Syaoran's eye, began to move his boat even farther away. When he was at a far enough observation distance he witnessed as Syaoran steadily rocked the kayak from side to side and Sakura lost her balance, falling face first into the lake. She sputtered up from the top and let out a frustrated scream.

"That's not funny, Syaoran!" Sakura yelled over his untamed laughter.

Tomoyo frustratingly put down her book and turned around to face the two trouble makers.

"What did I tell you guys about swimming in the lake?"

Sakura grabbed hold of the side of the kayak and rocked it towards her with all her might, "To never swim in it alone!"

Syaoran fought to steady himself but was overcome by the rocking motion and found himself in the same position as Sakura.

"You two are such a handful sometimes." Tomoyo rolled her eyes and picked her book back up.

The two brunettes worked together to get back into their kayak and collapsed into it. Their laughter rang out throughout the quiet landscape and Tomoyo let out another aggravated sigh.

"Why don't you guys go get showered and change? We'll meet you back there in a little." Eriol hinted, noticing his girlfriends annoyance with them.

They agreed, retrieving their paddles and working their way back towards the shore.

"Don't get my floors wet!" Tomoyo yelled after them.

"Yes, mom!" Sakura yelled back.

"Of course, mother!" Syaoran responded with more emphasis on the word 'mother'.

A nerve twitched in Tomoyo's head and she rubbed her temples. Eriol placed a comforting hand on her cheek and smiled.

"I think bringing them together was a horrible idea." She muttered.

Eriol laughed, "You don't mean that. They're just enjoying their new found freedom. Syaoran from Meiling and Sakura from work and school. They deserve to act like 10 year olds."

Tomoyo looked up at him, "I know, I know, I lied. I love that they're being so care free." she sighed. "It's not so bad when I have you hear to comfort me." She smiled.

He sat up straight and puffed out his chest, "That's what I'm here for." He said in a deeper tone. Tomoyo laughed at his silly remark and placed her book into her bag. Their surroundings were quiet, and Eriol continued to paddle around the lake. It was refreshing, just being able to be together outside of their normalcy. Between school and work, they hadn't really been able to just enjoy each other this past year but all of that would change once she graduated. She had options but in her heart she felt that she just wanted to take a break, spend more time with him and watch their relationship grow. A smile spread across her lips as she thought about the road ahead of them.

"You're going to make a great mother one day, you know."

Tomoyo was snapped from her thoughts by Eriol's sudden confession. She blushed nervously,

"What makes you think that? We've never even really been around kids together." She tucked a stray strand of her behind her ear and started at her reflection in the water.

Eriol shrugged and looked off at the landscape to the side, "I don't know. You just seem like the motherly type. You're always so kind and caring and in tuned with everyone's emotions. You always try to do what's right and what's fair and I mean, you handle those two crazy kids very well." Eriol chuckled, nodding his head towards the lake house where Syaoran and Sakura were.

Tomoyo smiled faintly. She'd never really thought about being a mother let along being a good one. The comment he made about taking care of Syaoran and Sakura made her laugh inside.

"So I have a random question. You mentioned that you had a reason for finally wanting to date me? What was it exactly?"

Yet again, Tomoyo found herself being snatched away from her inner thoughts by the unpredicted question.

"Well," she started and began to think back to when she'd first considered dating Eriol.

"I was so used to just taking care of myself. My mother always taught me that before I could even think about taking care of someone else, I had to be able to take care of myself. So at the time, I was still learning how to manage my new life. Which is why it's funny that you brought up me being a good mother. I'd never really thought about it." She said thoughtfully.

"What changed your mind?" he slowly began to steer the boat back towards the shore.

"Sakura, actually. What happened between her and Hiro really made me realize just how precious life is. It sounds really cliché but I didn't want to waste any more time trying to perfect my life when we could be perfecting one together." Her blush grew as the words left her and she smiled down at the placid water.

Eriol enfolded her into his arms and she returned the gesture as their boat slowly drifted onto the shore.

"I love you, Tomoyo." He whispered. Her heart rate increased as his breath tickled the back of her neck.

"I love you too, Eriol." She smiled and nuzzled herself deeper into him. She loved their moments like this, when they could just simply get lost in each other. They fit perfectly together.

They parted ways and Tomoyo made to stand from the boat, "I can't believe you said that I would make a good mother," she laughed as she stumbled onto the shore. "I think I'd have to be a wife first, you know!" she said jokingly.

"That's exactly what I was thinking. So all you have to do is say yes."

Tomoyo stopped in her tracks. It was as if the world was silenced and all she could hear was her heartbeat. She looked over her shoulder to see Eriol on one knee. Her body felt numb as she turned around to face him, speechless at what was taking place at this very moment.

"Tomoyo, will you do me the honor—and make me the happiest man in existence—by being my wife?"

Her hands covered her mouth as she stared down at her boyfriend of 2 years. Sitting upon his outstretched hand was a red velour box and in the middle a glimmering diamond ring. She found the strength in her legs to take a few steps forward, nodding while her eyes welled up with joy.

"Of course." She whispered, continuing to nod. He stood in front of her and took hold of her left hand.

"May I?" he asked as he removed the ring from its encasing. She nodded repeatedly, her excitement growing with every heart beat as he slid the ring onto her finger. A perfect fit.

Unable to contain her excitement any longer, she wrapped her arms around his neck in a loving embrace. Holding her around her waist, he lifted her into the air with a spin before bringing her back down to the ground and ending their short celebration with a kiss.

"Woooooh!"

Tomoyo turned towards the new voice and spotted Syaoran with a video camera, capturing their entire moment.

Sakura ran over to Tomoyo, nearly tackling her. "Congratulations!" She exclaimed excitedly.

Tomoyo laughed joyfully, "Did you know about this?"

Sakura pulled back and pouted, "No! Well, I basically found out when you did! Syaoran had to stop me from screaming out in surprise."

"Which is exactly why we didn't tell you in the first place, big mouth." Syaoran said, walking over to them, still filming.

"Whatever," she said dismissively before turning back to Tomoyo. Their eyes met and they proceeded to jump up and down with cheerful screams.

"How are you feeling right now?" Syaoran directed the question at Eriol and turned the camera to face him.

"Like I'll be a deaf man if they keep screaming like that." Eriol cringed at the screeches that were coming from the two girls. Syaoran laughed and turned the camera towards them.

"I would tell you that you should follow in my footsteps but you guys have been married for what, a full day and a half now?

Syaoran turned the camera back to Eriol, "You think you're soooo funny, don't you." his words were drenched in sarcasm. Still holding the camera stead, Syaoran removed his cell phone from his pocket. There screen was blank, only displaying the date and time.

"Hey, let me see that!" Sakura grabbed hold of the camera. He quickly slipped his phone back into his pocket and watched as Sakura pulled Tomoyo into a shot with Eriol. "I want to get a picture of the happy couple!"

She switched the camera from video mode to still-shot's and proceeded to snap pictures of them.

'A picture' was an understatement as she continuously took pictures of the newly engaged couple. Syaoran stood on the sidelines, watching as Sakura made the couple strike poses. 'Tomoyo would probably be the same way if it were us' he laughed to himself.

Her energy level seemed endless. She was like a ball of excitement, bouncing from here to there and back again. He couldn't help but smile and feel so much more attracted to her. It was hard to believe that even after what she'd gone through she was still able to continue smiling and enjoying life. She seemed so strong but fragile at the same time and he just wanted to be the one to protect her from any harm. He wanted to safe-guard her heart so that she would never have to feel any pain again.

A quick wave from Eriol caught his attention, there was a moment of distress from his cousins face and he knew he'd have to intervene before Sakura wore them out. He winked at Eriol and walked towards Sakura while she quickly looked through some of the pictures she'd just taken.

"Hmm, this one is alright but it could be better." she said quietly to herself.

Syaoran stood directly behind her and leaned his head over her shoulder. Bringing his arms around her he grabbed hold of the camera, and hovered there for a moment. She stopped mid-sentence and jumped at his proximity.

"I think that's enough, _honey._" he said low enough for only her ears to hear. He knew it would throw her train of thought off and laughed at how flustered she'd become in just a few seconds. He slowly brought his arms back around and turned the camera off.

"Not cool, Syaoran! Not one bit." Sakura crossed her arms and walked away from him in an attempt to mask the red hue upon her cheeks.

"I've gotta go call my mom!" Tomoyo announced suddenly and ran off towards the lake house, dragging Sakura long with her.

Syaoran clapped Eriol on the back and grinned. "Look at you, you can't even keep your eyes off of her for one minute."

Eriol shook his head with a small smile, "It's been that way since the first day I met her." He admitted.

Syaoran ruffled his cousins hair playfully and they made their way back to the lake house, the sun setting on their last afternoon together.

x-x-x-x-x

"Let's go out tonight!"

Tomoyo exclaimed once everyone had washed up and settled down from their outdoor excursion.

"I mean, something other than dinner. I know there are a few clubs and bars in the city that's close by! It's our last night in town so we should enjoy it! We definitely have something worth celebrating."

Sakura nodded and smiled happily but she couldn't help but feel a hint of sadness thinking about this being their last night together. In just a few days Spring Break will be over and she would have no choice but to return to her life at school. She was anxious, mainly. This trip had done so much for her in terms of moving on and letting go—she didn't know how she would sink back into her normal routine.

"Let's do it!" Syaoran threw his fist into the air.

'& then there's Syaoran', Sakura continued to think. It was funny seeing how fast he'd changed in a week. Even if she hadn't known him in his life before, she could tell that he'd opened up a lot more on this trip. She turned her head away and pretended to find the contents of her bag interesting when he'd caught her staring.

Syaoran approached Sakura and knelt on one knee, taking her hand in his.

"Sakura, will you do me the honor…of being my date on this spectacular evening?"

She blinked a few times at the suddenness of his question and rolled her eyes playfully, "No." she pulled her hand from his and folded her arms across her chest, her nose pointed up.

"Really Sakura? You'll marry him but won't be his date?" Tomoyo feigned shock and held back a smile.

"You're right, we're never going to be able to escape from this marriage thing." She glared at the boy who knelt before "Fine."

Syaoran stood and shot both his hands into the air, turning to face Tomoyo & Eriol, "She said yes!" he cheered happily before running off to his room.

Sakura stood from the bar stool and laughed, making her way to her room. "There's something seriously wrong with that boy."

"It's your fault!" Eriol responded quickly.

"I agree!" Tomoyo agreed.

Sakura pretended to wave them off and continued to her room to change her clothes.

"So I guess we can call the bet off now?" Tomoyo stood from her stool and began walking towards their bedroom. Eriol followed a few steps behind, "I guess. But I definitely won."

"Oh really?" Tomoyo raised her eyebrows.

Eriol encircled her in an embrace as they walked into their room and closed the door behind them. She turned around to face him.

"Of course, I've got the greatest prize of all." He whispered before closing the remaining distance between them with a kiss.

x-x-x-x-x

The city was lively. They fit right in with the crowd who were most likely just like them—college students enjoying their last Friday night of Spring Break. They shoved their way along the busy sidewalk in an attempt to finally find somewhere to spend the rest of their evening. They had decided on dinner at a local family owned Italian restaurant. With the exception of Eriol, his three companions had definitely had their fill of wine during dinner. It showed through their animated expressions and tendency to laugh at every little thing that happened along the way.

"Ok! You three, stay here. I'm going to go inside and check this place out." Eriol took Tomoyo's hand and placed it in Sakura's before heading into the bar.

"Did Eriol just give me your hand in marriage?" Sakura gasped. She examined Tomoyo's hand as if it were gold. Syaoran snatched Sakura's hand away and pulled her into him. "But we're already married, dear."

Sakura messily swatted him away, "Ew, ew….ew. Stop that." she said childishly and hid behind Tomoyo who continued to stare into the bar after Eriol.

"I'm going to go find him!" Tomoyo announced, pointing one finger in the air before racing into the crowded bar.

Sakura took a step to follow but was held back by Syaoran.

"Uh, uh. Eriol said to wait here. We can't all get lost." His eyes followed Tomoyo into the crowd as she managed to locate her fiancé.

Sakura pouted and leaned into him. It was getting a little cold and she'd refused to wear a jacket, claiming it would

ruin her outfit. Syaoran wrapped his free arm around her to keep her from shivering while his other hand continued to hold onto hers. "You want my jacket?" he asked. He felt her shake her head in response, "This is fine." She whispered, wrapping her arms around him and moving in closer. He reached into his pocket and checked his phone quickly before putting it away. It was close to midnight and he was a little tired from the day. Not to mention his stomach was still full from dinner.

"Hey you two, come on! I managed to get us free cover and seats near the stage." Eriol shouted over the crowd. Sakura seemed like she was sleeping and he gently pushed her off of him.

"We're going to go inside now." Intertwining his fingers with hers he followed Eriol into the bar.

"What is this place?" Syaoran yelled over the blaring music and the clamor of the other bar-goers. After a minute of shoving and careful maneuvering through the crowd, they made it to the front of the room where a table sat in front of a small, brightly lit stage. Two pianos sat adjacent each other and there was a large chalk board along the back wall with random quotes and sentences that would have probably made sense to them if they were here earlier.

"It's a dueling piano bar." Eriol finally responded as they took their seats. A waitress came over shortly and Eriol ordered a round of waters and an apple cider beer for himself. Sakura took Syaoran's hand and placed it in front of her like a pillow and leaned her head against it. Her nap was short lived as Tomoyo shook her awake.

"No! We have to keep celebrating! Sleeping is for losers." She slurred.

Eriol and Syaoran exchanged worried glances. They had their hands full tonight.

Sakura was awakened even more at the sound of the piano as the pianist on the left returned to his seat. His dueling partner took his spot at the piano on the right side and adjusted his microphone.

"How ya'll doin' tonight?" His voice echoed throughout the room and the crowd burst into cheers. Sakura half heartedly raised her hands and Tomoyo mimicked the rest of the audience with a loud holler.

"Someone sure is excited." The man said again, taking notice to Tomoyo.

Tomoyo stuck her left hand into the air immediately, "I'm getting married!" she shouted. The crowd exploded into applause and whistles of celebration.

"Then this calls for a special moment! Come on up here, little lady!"

Before any of them could really stop her, Tomoyo leapt from her seat and with the help of the pianist, was on the stage.

"Take a seat right here." He patted the hood of the piano and helped her to sit on top of it. She crossed her legs in a lady like fashion and sat up straight. Her diamond ring glistened in the bright stage lights.

"That sure is a beautiful ring. So who's the lucky man?" the MC asked turning back to the table.

"Eriol!" Tomoyo pointed excitedly at her future husband, who's head was currently being covered by his hands.

There was another eruption of applause and cheers.

"Well, Eriol, get on up here you sly dog! We've got something special planned for the both of ya!"

Eriol reluctantly stood from his seat and effortlessly hopped up onto the stage. He took his spot, standing next to Tomoyo and looked at her. Clearly, he wasn't planning for something like this and she reassuringly rubbed his hair and smiled. He shook his head with a small sigh and laughed.

"So you two, love birds. We have a special song just for you!" The pianist made a move to return to his seat but Tomoyo caught his arm. "Wait! Wait. They got married too! Well, it was a fake wedding but they really like each other!"

"Tomoyo!" the two brunettes yelled in unison. Sakura, fully awake, was completely aware of the situation at hand.

"So many lovers in the house tonight! Let's get you two on stage! Come on, don't be shy!"

The audience was wild. Sakura and Syaoran looked back at the hungry crowd and then to each other. Syaoran shrugged and held out his hand to her. "This is just crazy." Syaoran mouthed to her as he took her hand and pulled her up onto the stage with him.

"Let me see your pretty little hand." The 2nd pianist said into the microphone after Sakura had managed to sit atop his piano. Syaoran stood next to her with a smirk upon his face.

"There's nothing." Sakura said to him, holding up her hand.

The crowed and the second pianist awed in unison. "Well son, if you really like it…then you shoulda put a ring on it." He played a few chords from the popular song on his piano and the room filled with laughter.

"Looks like you've got a cheap boyfriend there, little lady!" the first pianist said into his microphone.

"Hey! We're not even together." Syaoran defended from across the stage.

"But you do like her dontcha?" The 2nd pianist chimed in.

Eriol and Tomoyo turned to look at Syaoran along with the hushed audience and the two musicians.

"I like him!" Sakura piped up, raising her hand into the air as if she were in grade school waiting to be called on to give an answer.

Syaoran turned around to look at her and she stuck her tongue out at him.

"Yeah, I like her too." Syaoran pointed his thumb in her direction and smiled at the crowd.

He couldn't help but feel like he was on a reality television show and he had to continue to play the role. At this point he was pretty sobered up and his buzz was wearing off but he was still enjoying himself.

"Aww, young love. Isn't it sweet?" The first pianist spoke once again. "I remember my first love. Especially my first kiss. What about you Jim?"

Attention turned to Jim, the 2nd pianist, "Of course, Bill! Why, I think these young couples can help all of us remember what our first kisses were like. What do you think, yall?"

The crowd went crazy. Apparently, this had been something that was done often with couples and the 4 friends looked at each other nervously. What sort of craziness had they gotten themselves into?

"Alrighty yall!" Bill began to play a melody on his piano. The two couples still looked to each other and the audience for some sort of clue about what to do.

"_She won't ever get enough, Once she gets a little touch. If I had it my way you know that I'd make her say" _

The four looked at Bill as he sang into his mic, his melody a slow tempo. The music stopped and the Jim, the 2nd pianist, picked up where the first left off in the song, only with a much quicker tempo.

"_She won't ever get enough, once she gets a little touch. If I had it my way, you know that I'd make her say" _

He finished off his line and the room grew silent once again. They turned their attention back to Bill again, "Well Jim, that's fine but all I have to say is…" he began playing a slow melody and sang into the microphone, _"My first kiss—when a little like this." _The melody continued and he nodded towards Eriol and Tomoyo. They looked into the crowd for support, "Kiss her!" someone yelled from the back and the audience laughed. Eriol shrugged and leaned over Tomoyo, giving her a quick peck on the lips. The crowd applauded his effort but was quickly drowned out by the second pianists' quicker tempo.

"Well, Bill. That was nothing! That's probably why your last girlfriend left ya if that was your first kiss."

The group on stage laughed simultaneously along with the audience.

"_Cuz my first kiss went a little like this…"  
><em>All eyes were on the two brunettes who seemed to have completely forgotten that it was their turn. Syaoran's eyes searched Sakura's for any sort of sign of what to do. He knew she'd had a lot to drink and didn't want to take advantage of the situation but at the same time, his heart was rushing with the thought of kissing her again. The crowd chanted a deafening "kiss her!" and he knew he was running out of time to make up his mind.

Luckily, he didn't have to.

Sakura reached over and laced her hands behind his neck before pulling him down into a seemingly passionate kiss.

"Woooweee! Now that's what I call a kiss!" Jim bellowed into his microphone. There were cat calls from the audience and Tomoyo and Eriol stared in shock at the sight before them. Sakura pulled away and cradled Syaoran's face between her slender fingers. She laughed as he slipped her off of the piano and held her in his arms. Sakura blew a kiss to the audience and clapped along with them. The two musicians quickly finished off their melodic piece and stood in applause with the rest of the audience.

"Congratulations to you love birds, good luck with the weddings and good night everybody!" Bill announced into the microphone and the stage lights dimmed around them.

"Good job, you guys. What a show!" Jim patted Syaoran on the back and Sakura embraced him in a quick hug.

"Yeah! Come back anytime. Have a safe and wonderful night!" Bill shook both Eriol and Tomoyo's hands before leaving the stage with his counterpart.

x-x-x-x

The car ride home was full of silence. Syaoran and Sakura slept quietly in the back seat, their heads resting on each other for support and their hands were intertwined between them. Tomoyo's eyes blinked slowly and periodically she would shake her head in an attempt to stay awake. Eriol took hold of her hand and rubbed it gently, "You can sleep. We're not too far out." He whispered. He knew that she was forcing herself to stay awake to keep him company while he drove but he would be just fine. She smiled and squeezed his hand before allowing her eyes to close.

Eriol looked into the rearview mirror and smirked. One week and so much had happened. He hadn't planned on proposing to Tomoyo at all until earlier that morning. He and Syaoran had ran into town to get the car checked out when he'd passed by a jewelry shop. When Syaoran asked him what he was thinking, he couldn't really explain it. He just had this feeling that he had to do something, he had to live in this moment because there wouldn't be another one like it for a while. The situation between Syaoran and Sakura inspired him as well. These were two people who had just met, who were living two completely separate lives, that somehow managed to fall into each other and change each other's lives so significantly in a matter of one week. It was sad that he wouldn't be able to watch how things would play out between them and that their time together would be cut so prematurely.

Tomoyo stirred and leaned onto his shoulder, wrapping her arms around his.

"I love you, Eriol." She whispered from her slumber.

He planted a quick kiss upon her forehead and continued to focus on the drive. He looked back once more at the sleeping couple in the back and smiled, knowing that they'd taken full advantage of their time together and had both been changed for the better.

A few minutes later he'd pulled into the drive way of the lake house. Gently waking Tomoyo she arose and looked around at their surroundings, a yawn escaping her.

"I'm so ready for bed right now."

"You and me both." Syaoran woke and gently awoke Sakura with a few pokes which she'd attempted to swat away.

Eriol quickly walked to the other side of the car and helped her out.

"Well that was a great nap." Sakura yawned as Syaoran helped her from the backseat. The four friends trudged their way into the house.

"Good night, you two. I'll see you in the morning." Tomoyo mumbled as she and Eriol walked towards their room.

Syaoran and Sakura made their way down the opposite hallway to their respective rooms.

"I'm not even tired anymore." Sakura complained as she opened her door. Syaoran laughed, walking past her room to his own.

"Good night, Sakura!" he shouted back. There was no response as he heard her bathroom light come on. He closed his door and he too washed up quickly and changed into his night clothes. Sitting on the edge of the bed,

his thoughts were a jumbled mess. He could still feel Sakura's hand within his and a smile formed on his lips when he thought about their on-stage kiss. Even if it was probably only the alcohol in her, he didn't mind that it happened. A nagging thought rose yet again to his mind and he found himself retrieving his phone from the pocket of his jeans. He flipped it open and stared at the bright screen.

A quiet rap on his door brought him out of his thoughts. Sitting the phone down he walked to the door and opened it. Sakura stood in her pajamas with a pillow and she looked anything but tired.

"I was being honest. I can't sleep yet. Are you going to bed or can I talk your ear off for a little longer?" she smiled cheesily. Syaoran stepped aside and let her into his room, flipping the light switch on before closing the door.

She sat cross legged on his bed and looked around the room, "Your room looks bigger than mine!"

Syaoran laughed and lay down on the other side of the bed, folding his arms behind his back he kept his eyes to the ceiling.

"It's because they love me more, of course."

Sakura launched her pillow at his face and laughed, "Yeah, right. They just wanted to make you feel like they love you as much as they love me!"

She flinched, thinking he was going to throw the pillow back but he handed it to her instead. She took it and fluffed it up before laying down. She turned her body to face him and he turned his head to look at her. Her eyes were closed with a soft smile on her face. There was a buzz from the edge of the bed and her eyes opened.

"Were you watching me sleep?" she grinned widely.

"I thought you weren't sleepy." Syaoran retorted, rising from the bed to retrieve his phone. Sakura watched him carefully as he flipped through his phone before plugging it into the charger on his nightstand.

"Stop watching me, creeper." He muttered, returning to his spot.

Sakura laughed, "Am not. You've been checking your phone all night, why?" she asked curiously. She turned onto her back and mimicked him, her eyes to the ceiling.

"No reason."

"Liar."

They both turned their heads to look at each other. Syaoran laughed, taken off guard by the pseudo angry face that Sakura held.

"Geez, well if you're going to stare at me like that. I was checking for any missed calls."

"Ah, does it have anything to do with the call you missed at the haunted house?" she stifled a yawn and blinked a few times, the festivities of the night finally setting in.

Syaoran nodded, he was amazed at how observant she was.

"Then just call them back. Especially if you're already checking your phone every 10 minutes." Sakura said drowsily.

"It's not that simple."

"Of course it is, just dial the number…and press call." Her eyes were barely open at this point.

Syaoran rapidly patted the bed space in between them and sat up, "Hey, you can't sleep yet!"

Sakura's eyes opened swiftly and she glared at him. "I'll stay awake if you call whoever it is you're waiting to call you." She reasoned and propped herself up on her elbow, stifling another yawn.

"You're not the boss of me."

Sakura snatched his phone quickly and proceeded to absentmindedly flip through random folders before Syaoran took it back.

"Alright, alright." He laughed and went into his recent call log. He looked back over at Sakura who pointed her finger back at the phone.

He took a deep breath and pressed the call button. There was one short ring and then an automated voicemail response.

"See! Was that so bad?" Sakura patted his head. He ended the call before it reached the end of its script and placed it back on his nightstand.

"You're such a bully." He lay back on the bed.

"It's because I like you, duh." She teased.

A silence lapsed between them and they settled into the sound and rhythm of just their breathing and heartbeats.

"I still can't believe Tomoyo and Eriol are engaged." Sakura whispered, her eyes remaining closed.

"Mhm." Syaoran replied quietly. He'd finally succumbed to the weight of the day. There was another moment of silence before Sakura spoke again.

"Do you think you'll ever get married?" Sakura asked, her speech become quieter and more drawn out.

Syaoran looked over at the barely conscious girl next to him. Her innocence was showing again. She was tucked into a small ball on her side, her pillow hugged close to her body. He reached over and brushed aside a fallen strand of her auburn hair. When she didn't stir, he knew that she'd fallen asleep. He stealthily rose from the bed and turned the light off before returning to his spot.

"Goodnight, Sakura." he whispered before turning over and falling into a comfortable slumber.

x-x-x-x-x-x

Sakura awoke earlier than she expected the following morning. She stared at the ceiling which was a different shade than what she'd become accustomed to in the last week and it took her a minute to realize that she wasn't in her own room. Turning over, she came face to face with a sleeping Syaoran. His mouth was opened slightly, a quiet snore escaping from him. He made a movement and she shut her eyes quickly, pretending to still be asleep. She laughed to herself at how silly she was being and peeked one eye open to see that he'd simply turned over to face the other way. The clock against the wall showed that it was almost noon meaning it was time to get up. They would be leaving for Tomoyo and Eriol's house as soon as everyone was up and dressed. By the sound coming from the kitchen and the faint smell of toast, Eriol and Tomoyo were already awake.

Syaoran stirred once more and turned back towards her. She smiled at how childlike he was when he slept. His hair was swept in every direction as if it'd gone through a tornado during the night.

"Syaoran." her voice spoke in a soft whisper.

"Hmm?" He opened his eyes and was met with a pair of dazzling emeralds accompanied by a bright smile.

In the short amount of time he'd been exposed to It, he'd become very fond of that smile.

"5 more minutes?" he mumbled, his eyes closing once more.

Her response was a quiet giggle. He felt the bed shift beneath him as she got up.

"5 minutes won't stop time. No matter how long you stay in bed, tomorrow morning it's back to the real world." a sad sigh escaped her.

Syaoran took in her words slowly and he heard the door close behind her as she left the room. _'The real world…' _he thought solemnly. So what was this place where he was now? Opening his eyes he slowly sat up, running a hand through his hair. The sun's rays attempted to creep through his tightly shut blinds. He hopped out of the bed and stood to open them, squinting from the intensity of the intruding light as the sun poured into his bedroom.

This whole week had felt like the sun, warm and bright. The thought of returning to his one bedroom apartment, to his job, to his school work, to a promise that he knew now he couldn't keep turned his world cold in an instant.

He turned from his window and made his way to the bathroom to prepare himself for the rest of the day.

Sakura stepped out of the steamy shower and securely wrapped a towel around herself. She cleared the mirror with her hand and sighed at her soggy reflection in the mirror. She quickly brushed her teeth and combed through her wet hair before heading back into her room. She changed into her clothes for the day and packed away any items that were still out of place. The bracelet was the only thing that remained on the dresser. She picked it up, it's silver shine seemed more lackluster than when she'd first found it a week ago. She traced the outline of her name and flipped it over to look at the inscription on the back. She quickly wiped a lone tear from her face and closed her hand around the bracelet. She no longer felt it necessary to wear it anymore but it was still dear to her and it would always be that way. Placing it in her purse, she grabbed her small duffle bag and took one last look at the room before closing the door behind her. She walked by Syaoran's room and noticed that his door remained open, his bed was made neatly and all of his bags had been removed.

"Good afternoon, sleepy head!" Tomoyo shouted gleefully from inside the kitchen. Sakura placed her bags by the front door before greeting her cousin and Eriol.

"Where's Syaoran?" Sakura asked as she made her way into the kitchen. The smell of the different food items greeted her and her eyes widened at the amount of food that was set out.

"You did this all by yourself, Tomoyo?"

Eriol placed his arm around his fiancé's waist and kissed her on the cheek. "Of course she did. I sure as hell couldn't cook anything like this." Tomoyo pretended to swat him away with her spatula, "No kissing the chef! Hurry up and wash your hands so you can eat."

Sakura couldn't help but smile at their interaction.

"Syaoran's outside by the lake. He doesn't seem to be in the best of moods right now though." Eriol mentioned before disappearing down the hallway.

Sakura swallowed, she had a feeling that it had to do with her. She was hoping that her actions from the night before didn't confuse him about where they stood. Walking through the patio door she made her way cautiously towards him. Her thoughts raced with what she would say to him when he turned around. Just with his smile he was able to calm her nerves and she stood next to him. Eriol must have been wrong about his mood, he seemed far from upset.

"Brunch looks great! We should go back inside and eat." Sakura started cheerfully. Syaoran nodded in response and looked down at her.

"_You_ look great." He smirked. She looked back out to the lake in front of them, a blush forming upon her cheeks. "Hey, Syaoran… last night I,"

He shook his head, "It's ok. I haven't forgotten what you told me. We were just having fun so don't worry about it."

Sakura opened her mouth as if to say something else but couldn't really think of anything. All that she was worried about dissolved in all of 10 seconds and she sighed with relief.

"Remember that girl I told you about on the 2nd day?"

Sakura racked her brain for their conversation, "Oh! Yeah, her name is Meiling, right?"

Syaoran nodded and inhaled sharply, "I made this promise to her before I left. That when I got back, she and I would take a shot at being together." He paused and turned to face her. She didn't know how to feel about what he was telling her. From what she knew, she thought Meiling was something like a sister to him and now he was telling her that they were more than that?

"But everything changed when I met you and I realized that what I felt for her wasn't any kind of romantic feelings. I think I mistook my kindness in wanting to protect her and our friendship for something that it wasn't. I mean, she sort of pushed me into it though." He laughed to himself, rubbing his hand through his messy hair.

"I'm really sorry," Sakura said nervously, "I sort of feel like a home wrecker now." She looked away from him.

He took her hand in his and smiled, "Anything but that."

"Then why are you telling me all of this now?" she was confused about his actions.

He made a motion for them to head back to the house and they slow trotted back, "I really like you, Sakura, and I know that you're not in any state to date someone right now—"

"You make me sound like I'm mentally unstable or something." She folded her arms across her chest and looked to the side.

"You know what I mean." He said before continuing. "All I'm trying to say is that when you're ready, I'll be waiting."

Sakura stopped and looked at him suspiciously, "You're telling me that you're gonna wait for me?" She squinted her eyes at him dangerously, "Why are you being so cheesy? Where's the real Syaoran?" she inquired, poking him repeatedly.

"Stop that! Look, I can be a romantic sometimes. I mean, I did get you to marry me after just 4 days of knowing each other. I'll take my bragging rights, thank you very much."

Sakura lightly slapped him in the back of the head as they walked through the door.

"There's the Syaoran I know." She grinned.

"But I really mean it." He said as they both made their way into the kitchen.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever you say." Sakura dismissed his comment with a grin.

The moment they'd entered the kitchen, Tomoyo stood in front of them, her spatula aligned with Syaoran's heart. Sakura bumped into him and stumbled to catch herself, "What the—"

"Both of you. Wash your hands. Now." Tomoyo demanded, continuing to brandish her peculiar weapon of choice.

Syaoran held his hands up defensively and side stepped slowly before hurrying off to his restroom, Sakura following in his footsteps.

"Well done, love. Well done." Eriol slow clapped form where he sat at the kitchen table. "Though I fear for what our children will go through." He added afterwards. Tomoyo shot him a glare and he laughed. "I'm not afraid of you."

"Oh really? You better rethink that before putting that pancake in your mouth. Never bite the hand that feeds you, Eriol. You never know what could be in store."

Eriol stopped and looked from Tomoyo down to the piece of food that he was about to place into his mouth. He examined it silently before putting it into his mouth and chewing with a please expression upon his face. He swallowed and looked up at his wife-to-be with a competitive smile, "Bring it."

x-x-x-x-x

The ride back to Eriol and Tomoyo's house was a quiet one, just like it'd been when they first started their trip and they were already on the last half of the ride. Tomoyo played with her new engagement ring, her expression unreadable. She thought about her last design project that she'd have to finish up when she got back, graduation was steadily approaching, Eriol's busy work schedule and most of all when to start planning her wedding. They hadn't really said anything past just being engaged but she hated the idea of a long-lasting engagement. If they were to be married it would have to be before the new year. Her mother wanted to know the full details by the end of the month so that she could plan accordingly. Eriol reached his hand over and held hers. She smiled gratefully, somehow he always knew when she was troubled. His eyes never left the road but his smile said it all. She felt like the luckiest girl in the world and couldn't wait to spend the rest of her life with him.

Sakura quietly looked through all of the pictures from her digital camera. Just before leaving, they'd taken one last group photo in front of the lake house. It was nearly identical to the first one that they'd taken but everyone looked a lot less tense and a lot closer. This week had done wonders for all of them. Life wasn't something that was just lived anymore. It was the moments and the people that made it what it was meant to truly be. An experience. With every picture she'd taken, she engrained each of these experiences into her memory.

Syaoran kept his eyes closed after he and Eriol had switched places. He put in his earphones and drowned himself in the music. His mind was clear and he felt content with himself. He was sure that any step he took from here on out would be the right now. It was his new found confidence that excited him the most. Of course he'd been confident before, but something was different this time.  
>In the last week, he'd found so much to look forward to. He couldn't wait for Tomoyo and Eriol's wedding, graduation was only a month away and then there was a moment he'd recently etched into his mind. The day when Sakura would be ready to love again. She really did change in a way he never thought possible. He felt a lot more in tuned with his emotions, for one thing and he knew for certain that it was her and her alone that made him that way. She'd brought out a softer side of him that was different from what he'd been like with Meiling. If his sisters could hear his thoughts now, they'd die laughing. His phone buzzed in his lap and hesitation ran through him. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Sakura look up at him and he held her gaze momentarily before answering.<p>

"_Syaoran?"_

"Hey Meiling. How are you?"

"_I'm doing well. Just leaving your family's place." _

Eriol looked back at him curiously.

"_We're on the road back to Eriol's place now. I should be heading back to town right after." _Syaoran looked out the window at the passing scenery. Something felt off. She wasn't speaking to him with her normal amount of enthusiasm and he had an idea why.

"_Ok, that sounds good. Want to meet up for dinner tonight?"_ there was a slight bit of hesitation in her voice.

"_Sure, that's fine. I'll let you know when I get back into town." _Syaoran responded uncertainly. Where was the confidence that he'd just been praising himself for?

"_Ok! I'll talk to you later then!" _the cheerfulness in her voice was present in her last statement before the line went dead. With a sigh, Syaoran placed the phone back in his lap and leaned his chair backwards.

"And so it begins again." Eriol said with a grin. Syaoran reached in front of him and flicked the back of Eriol's head in response.

"Ow!"

Sakura continued to flip through her camera but laughed. She set the camera down and picked up her phone, quickly sending a text message to the distressed boy that sat beside her.

"_Don't think so much about it. It'll all be ok. :)"_

Syaoran held his phone up in front of him and sighed as he responded.

"_If you say so…" _he dropped the device back onto his lap and let his hands fall to his side. If he'd agreed to see her later that evening, she would know that something was wrong but if he didn't see her it would be the same thing.

Sakura slowly crept her fingers over to his and took hold of them lightly. There was no surprise and no hesitation as he wrapped his hand around hers. She gave him a comforting squeeze and they remained this way for the remainder of the trip until Sakura slowly drifted into sleep, losing her grasp on his hand.

Not even an hour had passed before Syaoran nudged Sakura away. She rubbed her eyes and looked around at their surroundings. They were back in Tomoyo and Eriol's driveway, hers and Syaoran's vehicles parked exactly where they'd left them. The four friends removed themselves from the car and stretched their tired limbs. It had been a long, quiet trip, everyone too afraid to speak for fear of breaking the spell. The minute Syaoran and Sakura would get into their cars and the minute that Eriol and Tomoyo walked into their home would mean the return of the unexpected life experiences that lay ahead of them.

Tomoyo helped Sakura load her bag into the trunk of her car and they stood together at the driver's side.

"We'll see each other again, soon ok?" Sakura brought Tomoyo into a tight embrace.

"Of course! You have to help me plan the wedding and we don't I forgot about your birthday!" her cousin responded with a twinkle in her eye.

"Your birthday is coming up?" Syaoran asked, closing the trunk of his car and walking over with Eriol to where the girls stood.

Sakura nodded, "Yeah, but Tomoyo always likes to make a big deal out of everything. I wouldn't mind just a quiet dinner with you all." She said timidly.

"Well whatever you decide, count me in." he smiled and Sakura nodded appreciatively.

"You two should really be going, it's going to be dark soon." Eriol hated to be the kill-joy but someone had to do it.

There was a moment of silence between the group as they all looked at each other. Sakura was the first one to make a move.

"Thank you for everything, Eriol and you better take care of my cousin!" Sakura engulfed Eriol into a soft hug.

"Haven't I always?" he questioned, a confident grin upon his face.

Eriol turned to Syaoran and they hugged briefly, "Thanks for coming out. It was great seeing you again."

Syaoran agreed with a curt nod before turning to face Tomoyo who nearly ran into his open arms.

"I had so much fun with you guys! I hope to see more of you." She spoke into his chest.

"Of course. Who else is going to help Eriol skip out on wedding planning?" Syaoran grinned. Tomoyo playfully punched him in the arm and he pretended to be hurt.

Tomoyo rejoined her fiancé just as he finished saying goodbye to Sakura.

Wanting to give the two brunettes a little alone time, Tomoyo decided that it was time for she and Eriol to make their leave, "We're going to head inside to rest a little. Drive safe, you two and let us know when you make it in, ok?"

Syaoran and Sakura both nodded their heads in agreement as the couple turned and walked towards their home.

It was quiet between them once again as they waited for the door to close. Sakura kept her eyes glued to the floor as she spoke, "So…I'll see you around?" she fiddled with her keys and refrained from looking at him. She was never good with goodbyes.

Syaoran gathered her into his arms and held her close to him. "If you ever need anything, don't hesitate to call me, ok? We're really not that far from each other."

Sakura felt as though she was saying goodbye to a long-distance boyfriend. It was all too familiar to her but she tried her best to shake off the feeling. He held her at arm's length and placed a kiss upon her forehead before taking a step back.

"Thank you." Sakura said, tiptoeing up to him and placing a kiss upon his cheek before returning to her car. The engine interrupted their solitude and she looked once more out the window. His soft eyes stayed on her as she adjusted her mirrors and backed out of the driveway. Giving a small wave, she began her drive back to school.

Syaoran watched as her small car disappeared around the corner and got in his own. He organized his belongings before starting the car and pulling out of the driveway. It was like going away to college for the first time all over again. The anxiety of leaving your comfort zone and heading into the unknown. He remembered what it was like to leave behind almost everything he'd ever really cared about. What he realized he cared about most were at the house that he was currently driving away from and in a car that headed in almost the complete opposite direction from the direction he was traveling in.

He turned the radio on to drown out any other thoughts that might have plagued him on his long ride back to reality.

x-x-x-x

He played with his knife and fork, flicking them rapidly against the table as he waited for her to return with dinner. So far, things didn't seem so bad. As exhausted as he was, he agreed to meet up with Meiling for dinner in order to avoid future awkwardness.

"You seem nervous or something." Meiling comment as she returned to the table. Syaoran placed his utensils beside the plate Meiling had just set down in front of him.

"Not at all, just a little tired." He forced a yawn to prove his statement true.

"I'm sorry I'm not as exciting as your new best friends." She replied in a joking manner. Over a span of 30 minutes, Syaoran had told her of his time spent at the lake house, leaving out key details concerning Sakura of course, but she got the gist of it.

"I'm only joking." she continued, when she hadn't received a response from him.

He snapped out of his dazed state and laughed, "I'm sorry. I'm just really tired. Thank you for dinner though, it looks great!" he smiled down at his full plate of spaghetti & meatballs. In the back of his mind he heard Eriol's voice from earlier, 'and so it begins again…'.

"So anything else exciting happen?" Meiling took a sip from her water and watched him closely. She didn't want to straight out ask him if what she heard was true but waited for the evening to settle in a little more. There was no ring on his finger so that was the first clue for her that she'd simply misunderstood the situation.

Syaoran thought for a moment and smacked his head, "I can't believe I forgot! Eriol and Tomoyo are getting married!" he placed a large fork full of spaghetti into his mouth following his statement.

Meiling stared at him, speechless_. 'How could he forget something as important as that?...maybe that's who I heard over the phone, not Syaoran.' _she thought to herself.

"That's wonderful to hear! I think they're perfect for each other." She smiled brightly. She had every reason to be happy after hearing this news. Not only was she wrong about what she'd heard, she couldn't wait to tell Emi that she was finally right about something.

Syaoran mentally sighed as he continued to notice the change in Meiling's demeanor throughout the night. She was becoming much like her normal self with was good. He hadn't actually forgotten to tell her about the engagement, he just wanted to save that bit of news in case she decided to bring up what she may have heard over the phone about the fake marriage between he and Sakura.

The rest of the evening continued without a hitch. There was no mention of what they'd spoken about before break but Syaoran had to keep his guard up until it was time to talk to her about it. But on his ride home he felt as though he had one less chip on his shoulder to worry about.

Now all that was left to do was make it through the long week ahead of him and fall back into the pattern of his life, hopefully with a new rhythm.

x-x-x-x-x

Trudging out of his bedroom and into his quiet living room, he collapsed onto the couch and turned on the television. The long warm shower had managed to relax his mind and body but also made him feel a little more awake. Watching the television for just a few minutes when he knew he was tired was always a way for him to quickly fall asleep. He hadn't even had the TV on for more than 5 minutes before the drowsiness set in.

His amber orbs fluttered shut and the pace at which he flipped through the channels slowed. It had been a long week and he was looking forward to the weekend. _'_Another dull weekend… '

He blinked repeatedly in an attempt to stay awake. This entire week had seemed dull. His eyes slid shut and he drifted into a dream.

He awoke abruptly to the sound of the remote hitting the wooden floor. The TV screen in front of him shown bright blue. He retrieved the remote and turned it off, swinging his legs off the couch. The floor was cold beneath his feet as he stood to turn off the lamp in his quiet living room.

'Had life always been so quiet?' He thought to himself as he made his way to the single bedroom in the apartment. As if to oppose his thoughts there was a loud clap of thunder and the heavens rained down on his silent evening. Syaoran passed by his dresser mirror catching a glimpse of himself. His unruly chestnut hair was the same as it'd always been and he hadn't grown any taller.

'Nothing's really changed about me…but I feel so different'.

There was a slam of a car door outside as he was brought back from his reverie of the week before. He ignored this and smiled to himself. 'That was the first night…with her' he sighed inwardly.

His thoughts were interrupted once again by a small knocking sound. He turned back to his open bedroom door that led into the dark living room. The clock on the nightstand showed the numbers 12:31am in bright neon and

the rain was coming down even harder now.

"Probably just the stor—" his words were cut off by an even louder knock. He slowly made his way into the living room, switching on the single lamp.

He stood hesitantly a few feet away. "Who is it?" he shouted through the wood.

There was silence as he reached for the doorknob.

"Hell-"

"Syaoran? Is that you?" a voice questioned from the other side.

His eyes widened and his outreached hand paused just above the knob. 'That voice…'

"Hey, are you there?" the person on the other side questioned again.

He fumbled with the 2 locks, a surge of emotion within him. Flinging the door open he was greeted by the very same emerald green eyes that he'd been seeing in his thoughts all week.

The girls face lit up and her lips curved into a sheepish smile. Her auburn hair much like her clothes was plastered to her, drenched with water.

Syaoran stood frozen in the doorway, a look a disbelief on his face. "Sakura?" his voice was barely above a whisper.

"Hi there," she said nervously. She took a deep breath before continuing, "You said if I ever needed a place to stay—no matter what— to find you." Her eyes shifted to the floor and she folded her arms across her chest in an attempt to stay warm.

"So, here I am." she finished. There was a moment of silence between the two, his eyes glued to hers and hers to the floor."Expect the unexpected, right?" she spoke softly.

In an automatic response Syaoran's arms reached out , pulling her into a warm but soggy embrace.

"I can't believe you're here." he said into her damp hair.

It was then that he noticed the 3 suitcases that sat behind her.

'Guess this won't be a dull weekend after all'

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Since I won't be able to update like I just did (but updates won't take longer than a month or so!), I would really like to know your thoughts on where you think the story is going in comparison to what I have in mind! I would love to see how other people are interpreting things!<strong>

****& a note about The Mixed Tape, I feel as though I want to write a few more chapters of Breaking Free before I go back to it. This story is getting to a pivotal point & month & a half updates are going to cut it. But I've got all these ideas for TMT in my head and I just have to sort them out before posting the next chapter! & what's with this new show called "Duets" that's starting soon? They totally stole my idea but it's all good. I'll survive.****

****'Til next time!****

**Always, **

**Synea K. **


	11. Complexity

**Well, hello there! **

**_...4 months later -_-_**

**I'll respond to reviews for Ch.10 afterrrrrr but to the anonymous "guest" that commented today...thanks for the push! :) **

**I honestly got tired of staring at this document...and frustrated with not being able to update like I said I would so I forced myself to finish this chapter today with my new time off^_^. **

**I hope you don't hate me too much & that you all didn't abandon me! I'm doing the best I can with my hectic schedule but I just got A LOT more free time so, please bear with me. Seeing all of the continuous reviews & story alerts/favorites only added to my guilt! **

**I won't ramble too much but I do have on interesting/funny tid-bit to share: **

**As I mentioned before, I work in a restaurant which just happens to be run by a Li family...with many sisters and one son o_O.  
>I think my life is filled with too many CCS instances that it scares me sometimes. <strong>

**I've got a cool little blog I'm starting but I'll bore you with that later! **

**Enjoy~ **

* * *

><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong>

**I do not own any of these characters - CLAMP has that right. [I do own this plot though & a couple extra people in there ^_^]**

* * *

><p><em><span>Summary:<span>_

_Syaoran has been living a pretty comfortable life, until a girl he meets during a Spring Break road trip shows up on his door step a week later, turning his comfortable world upside down._

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 11: Complexity<strong>

_Dedicated to_ **Kuromimi**._...because I wasn't able to update for your birthday.  
><em>_(Hope you're still reading!) _

"I still can't believe you're here."

Syaoran repeated again as he moved the remaining bags from the porch and closed the door behind him. Unsure of where to put them, Syaoran stood awkwardly, grasping two of her three suitcases. She held the last bag in front of her and took in her surroundings before turning back to face him.

"I really can't either." She said, barely above a whisper. They stood across from each other, hesitant of the next move to make, both fiddling with the luggage that still had yet to touch the floor.

A million thoughts raced through Syaoran's head. Here was the girl that he'd been daydreaming about for the entire week-though he'd never admit to anyone of his actions-standing in his small, simple, apartment. His eyes flickered to the his one bedroom and he mentally cursed himself for not renting out an apartment with a guest room. What would their sleeping arrangements be like? Of course he'd take the couch and she could take the bed until he learned more about her random visit.

A loud clap of thunder and the streak of lightning that followed brought him back to the current situation and Sakura flinched slightly from the noise, dropping the bag and breaking the spell.

"Uh, you can follow me, we can put your stuff in here."

With a subtle nod, Sakura retrieved her bag from the floor and followed him into his bedroom. He placed her bags next to his dresser and she did the same. He watched her as she took in her surroundings. There wasn't much to it, actually. The walls were bare, besides a mirror that was placed over his dresser where a few mementos were scattered here and there, there was nothing more than just a nightstand and his desk. His school bag was lain neatly next to his computer desk where a stack of papers and his books were piled.

"I know it's not much." Syaoran shrugged sheepishly.

Sakura shook her head, "No, it's perfect! It seems…cozy." She smiled. She knelt in front of her bags and unzipped one of them.

"If you don't mind, I was wondering if I could—"

"Yeah, of course! I'll just take the couch until we figure something out!" Syaoran interrupted her. She muffled her laughter with her hand and stood with some clothes tucked under her arm.

"I was actually going to ask if I could use your bathroom to change out of these wet clothes and wash up." She laughed, "And don't worry, I would hate to inconvenience you so I don't mind staying on the couch."

Syaoran ran his hands through his hair embarrassingly, "Of course you can use the bathroom but you're not sleeping on the couch."

She raised her hand to object but used it to catch a yawn instead. "If you say so." She said with a shrug before shuffling into the bathroom.

Syaoran sat down on the edge of the bed, leaning his forehead into his hands he blocked out the light from the room. If this was a dream, it was probably the most realistic one he'd ever experienced and he would surely wake up as soon as he reopened his eyes. Upon opening them nothing, in fact, had changed and he was still in this most peculiar situation.

"Are you ok?"

He hadn't even heard the bathroom door open and rose quickly, turning to face her. She was now dressed in her sleeping attire and knelt to put her wet clothes and other items back into one of her suitcases.

Syaoran smiled meekly, "I'm just a little tired." He replied, forcing a yawn.

He didn't' know how to bring up the topic of her unexpected visit. Sakura sat cross-legged in the center of the bed, placing her elbows on her knees she cupped her chin in her hands,

"Aww, it's past your bed time, isn't it?" She teased. He rolled his eyes and returned to his spot on the bed, casually grabbing a pillow before tossing it at her face. She let out a small yelp just as the pillow collided into her. Noticing her motion to retaliate, Syaoran hastily made to escape the room, narrowly dodging the pillow that instead hit the wall next to the door as he closed it behind him.

"You have horrible aim!" he yelled through the wood.

"And you have horrible manners!" she screamed back. Syaoran laughed along with her and rested his back against the door.

"Truce?" There was silence from the other side and although he knew what was awaiting him, he opened the door, peaking his head into the crack. Sakura wasn't in the bed where he'd last seen her and before he had a chance to slip his head back out, the pillow came in contact with the side of his head. He caught the pillow as he stumbled back into the room as Sakura retreated the bed and scrambled under the covers.

"Ok, truce!" her voice sounded from underneath the blanket, poking her head out a moment later.

"You're a pain, you know that?"

"Liar. You really don't mean that." she replied, sticking her tongue out at him before making herself more comfortable within the sheets.

He sighed in defeat with a shake of his head. Syaoran held on to the pillow and retrieved a another comforter from the top shelf in his closet. He looked at the clock on his nightstand, it was nearly half past midnight and the long day of school and work was finally getting back to him.

"If thinking that helps you sleep at night. I'll leave you to dream peacefully about it." He smirked and walked back towards the door.

Sakura pouted and hugged the remaining pillow to herself, "Well that's not very nice!"

He stopped in the door frame with his hand on the doorknob and he smiled. It was weird how things were completely normal right now. As though she hadn't unexpectedly shown up in the middle of the night with no explanation at all.

Clearing the thoughts from his head he made his way into the living room,

"Fine, I take it back. Sweet dreams, Sakura." He stopped in his tracks and stood rigid when her arms wrapped gently around him in an embrace.

"Thank you, Syaoran." She whispered, her cheek pressed against his back. He gripped the pillow a little tighter and he looked down at her fingers that were laced around him. His heart rate increased slightly but he refrained from showing his emotions. He didn't want to rush to any sort of conclusion about why she was here and if her mind had changed about where they stood. In his years of growing up with within a family of women, he'd figured out that girls just didn't figure things out so quickly. As far as he was concerned, he was still very much in the friend zone and didn't foresee that changing any time soon. Plus, it really was passed his bedtime and he really didn't have the energy to puzzle over these things.

"It's fine, I wasn't going to just leave you outside. I'm not that mean." He chuckled and turned around to face her.

She stared at the ground as she continued to speak, "I-I came here because…well…" her eyebrows furrowed as she struggled to gather her thoughts. As much as he wanted to laugh at how adorable she was being, he didn't have the energy to withstand her questions of why he was laughing at her when she was clearly distressed.

"We'll talk about it in the morning." He placed his hands on her shoulders and turned her around, shuffling her back into the room. She looked over her shoulder at him, her eyes smiled brightly and she nodded. He returned her gesture with a smile, "See you in the morning."

"G'night!" she said jubilantly, standing on the tips of her toes and quickly placing a kiss upon his cheek before closing the door.

Syaoran stared at the door that she'd just closed in front of his face and touched his hand to his cheek.

'_What friend zone?'_ his inner voice questioned. Defeated by his confused thoughts once again, he took to his makeshift bed on the couch. Tomorrow would come all too soon and all of his inquiries would be answered.

s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s

Sakura blinked a few times before adjusting to the streams of sunlight from the window. She yawned and reached into a stretch, sitting up from her reclined position momentarily before laying back down. As tired as she felt, her internal clock just wouldn't let her sleep in, no matter how many hours of rest she'd managed to get that night and no matter how many dreams kept her mind racing.

She sighed in discontent and covered her face with her hands. The night before wasn't any different. She lay in the darkness for nearly an hour trying to figure out exactly what she would tell him about her sudden visit. The partial truth, she knew he wouldn't believe. But the whole truth was a different story that she wasn't sure she was ready to tell him.

It was the same every night for the last week. She found herself unable to go to sleep at a reasonable hour and as a result, she'd picked up the unusual habit of drinking at least 3 cups a coffee daily. It was unusual for her because normally she exerted so much liveliness and didn't need the aid of energy-enhancing drinks. But for the last week had proven to show the complete opposite though and she'd been plagued with troubled thoughts every night before bed.

Rubbing her eyes she let out a disgruntled noise and turned onto her side. Troubled was a bit of an over statement given that most of these thoughts were about the seemingly harmless boy that lay in the next room.

The first few nights back, she'd found herself immersed nightly in memory-like dreams of her time with Hiro during their years in high school. Towards the end of every dream though, he would magically transform himself into Syaoran. She would wake up startled, unsure of how to comprehend her unconscious feelings and every night, the bracelet around her wrist felt more and more like a hand cuff. It was the link that kept her chained to something she just didn't have the heart to turn her back on. She felt as though she owed that much to the memory of her lost love. After returning from the trip, she'd tried leaving the bracelet off but it didn't take long until she'd feel a sense of guilt in trying to leave it all behind. The one memory in particular that was her deciding factor in coming to see Syaoran could have been better described as a nightmare rather than a dream. Unfortunately, it was the same memory that kept her from moving on.

She looked down at the cuff around her arm and held the heart pendant in between her fingers, as she fought back tears at just the mere thought of what she'd dreamt. With a deep breath she pushed the thought into the back of her mind once more and closed her eyes.

Not even a second later, there was a piercing siren that erupted from the nightstand and Sakura nearly leapt out of the bed. She fumbled noisily with the buttons before finding the one that stopped the obnoxious noise. Her heart rate slowed to a normal pace and she laughed at how frantic she must have seemed. She looked to the door for any notion that Syaoran had woken from the disruptive noise and decided to see for herself. She tiptoed across the room and opened the door quietly. The living room was quiet and the blinds on the window were partially open, allowing for the little bit of sun that had risen to shine through. Her eyes fell on the sleeping figure underneath the large comforter that draped over the couch and she smiled. The sheet rose in steady intervals and she took it as a sign that he was still sleeping before silently closing the door.

"I guess I'll shower!" she whispered aloud to herself and proceeded to gather everything she needed, finding a towel in the small linen closet near the bathroom.

Following the refreshing bath, she brushed her hair free of any tangles and quickly dressed into her clothes. Carefully stowing away her old clothes, she walked over to the mirror that hung above the dresser on the wall and with a nod declared herself presentable. She caught sight of the silver that dangled from her arm and stopped herself short. Gently unclasping it, she placed on the dresser before timidly opening the door.

There was still silence when she entered the living room and closed the bedroom door behind her. Syaoran's unconscious form remained inactive on the couch and she quietly strode into the kitchen. She'd instantly found just what she was looking for—her new addiction. Setting up the machine to brew a fresh pot of coffee, she then set out on her search for breakfast food items. The least she could do was make him some sort of meal for his hospitality and it kept her mind busy from thinking about her explanation to him. After about a minute, the search was over. Apparently, Syaoran didn't feel it necessary to feed himself. She retrieve two cups from a cabinet above the stove and poured two cups of the freshly brewed coffee.

"Now what's the best way to do this?" she pondered aloud to herself, placing the cups onto the table next to the couch. Placing a finger on her chin, she observed his current state. One of his hands hung limply off the edge of the couch and he laid on his side. His lips were parted slightly as he took small breaths and she giggled at how peaceful he seemed. Kneeling down in front of him, she took his hand gently and tickled his palm. This only caused him to retract his hand and stuff both of them underneath his pillow. She huffed a piece of hair out of her face and sat back against the table in thought, 'What would Touya do?'. Her older brother always had a knack for coming up with weird ways to wake people up. Why she didn't just wake him up in a normal fashion? Well where's the fun in that? She smirked as one idea popped into her head. To this day, she still couldn't really understand why it worked so well. Maybe it was ESP or something or she'd read somewhere once that brains have some weird 'gaze detector' system. Regardless of what the reason was, it always worked and she'd always wake up feeling frustrated but impressed by his magical feat.

Following in her brothers footsteps, she brought her face inches away from Syaoran's and scrunched her face into the hardest stare she could conjure. The muscles in his face twitched slightly and she'd nearly fallen back with excitement at the thought of this "magical" moment. Keeping cool, she composed herself and went back at it, this time bringing her face slightly closer, focusing her stare even harder.

Syaoran's eyes flew open and he caught his breath. There was silence between them as Sakura held her intense gaze and he held an equally intense but confused expression. Their faces remained mere inches apart when she finally spoke,

"Good morning." She smiled, breaking the silence.

His eyes remained fixed on her, "…Hello."

A moment passed before she fell back on her heels. "Well that was the dullest reaction ever." She stood from her spot and folded her arms across her chest.

He sat up, even more perplexed by her strange actions than he was when he'd first opened his eyes.

"Well I mean, if I didn't know you and you weren't a girl, I'm sure my reaction would have been a lot different…and more violent." He said through a yawn.

"Oh, don't try to be all macho on me. You looked so harmless while you were sleeping!" Sakura teased.

Syaoran cocked an eyebrow, "Aw, how cute. You were watching me sleep."

Her face reddened and she turned away towards the window, "If sleeping dogs were cute then sure." She muttered.

"Last time I checked, there are plenty people who find sleeping dogs completely adorable." He added after her declaration.

Immediately following his rebuttal, she pulled open the shades, allowing the sun to cascade through the room and blinding the chestnut haired boy.

"Look who the mean one is now!" he said, blocking his sensitive eyes from the brightness.

Sakura walked back into the kitchen and grabbed the mug of coffee she'd poured earlier for him,

"Here ya go!" she said cheerfully while handing him the cup.

He looked from the cup back up to her, curiously. "Thanks, I guess."

She picked up her own drink and took a sip before sighing contently and leaning against the counter.

Syaoran looked into the dark liquid still unable to fully comprehend her actions. Placing the cup down on the table he turned to face her. She had her eyes closed and her elbow propped against the counter with her head resting upon her closed fist.

"Guess you should've slept a little longer instead of trying to wake me up like a creeper." He smiled smugly.

Her eyes opened, "I'm not a creeper! I was just trying to test a hypothesis."

He laughed at her explanation, "What? How long you can stare at someone until they think you're a creeper?"

"No! it's just a trick my brother used to do when we were younger."

"Whatever you say, creeper!" Syaoran took a sip from his mug.

She took a warm gulp from her own mug and countered, "Well next time I just won't try to make you breakfast."

He looked over at the clock on the wall and realized that it was nearly 10am. Usually, he would sleep in on weekends since his regular week required him to be up at the crack of dawn. Standing with a stretch he grabbed his coffee and joined her at the counter in the kitchen.

"So where's this breakfast you speak of?" he asked, looking around his empty room.

"It's non-existent since you seem to live off photosynthesis. Your kitchen is so barren! How do you even survive?" she questioned almost like a concerned mother.

He let out a small laugh and drank again from his cup, "I haven't had a chance to go grocery shopping yet since I got back. I've just been eating on the go every day for breakfast and lunch and…" he trailed off at the thought of dinner. Meiling had offered to cook for him nearly every night this week. "My friends have been supplying me with dinner so I've been managing." He said, immediately followed by another swig from his cup.

"You have friends? That's a shocker." Sakura feigned surprise.

Syaoran rolled his eyes and ignored her comment.

"I still want to make you breakfast though so I'm going to head to the store to pick up a few things!" Sakura continued, cheerfully.

"You really don't have to do that. We can grab something to eat after I shower and dress if you want,"

"No!" She interjected. "I wouldn't want you doing anything else for me. You've done enough by just letting me stay here on such short notice."

Syaoran watched her carefully as she gripped her cup within both of her hands. "Well I never said that I was going to pay for YOUR meal too." He smirked. She looked up at him and sent him an air-punch accompanied by a glare. Silence engulfed the room once more as they both drank quietly from their cups.

Figuring it was as good a time as any, Syaoran decided that it was time to get some answers.  
>"So, you were just in the neighborhood last night and decided to drop by?" he asked with the slightest hint of sarcasm.<p>

Sakura stared at the warm cup of coffee in her hands. A small smile formed on her lips and swished it's contents around before placing it back onto the counter.

"Well I spent the entire night trying to figure out a good excuse to tell you." She paused for a moment to continue getting her thoughts together.

"And here I was out here thinking you were sleeping the whole time. I was up for a couple of hours and I didn't hear a thing from you."

Sakura managed a smile, "Thinking doesn't really require one to speak." She said cleverly and cocked at eyebrow at him. He rolled his eyes in response which garnered another smile from her.

"Come up with anything good?"He took a gulp from his mug. The warm liquid was comforting and he sighed contently. The conversation was starting off smooth and he was happy about that. The last thing he wanted was an awkward situation between them, especially since he didn't know how long she'd be staying. Judging by the amount of bags she'd brought though, it seemed like it was for more than just a day or two.

She held the cup up to her mouth and shook her head in decline before taking one more sip and placing it back on the counter.

"It's kind of a silly reason and you'll probably make fun of me for it. Tomoyo did." She walked into the living room and took a seat on the couch. Curling her legs beneath her, she leaned onto the arm of the chair and shut her eyes before continuing,

"I couldn't function. It was like my whole routine just felt off, like something just wasn't right anymore. I went through the entire week and just couldn't get back into the groove of things." She felt the seat next to her sink under Syaoran's weight as he joined her.

"I told Tomoyo how I felt and she jokingly suggested that I just go to see you and after deliberating for all of a few hours, that's what I did." She said nonchalantly.

"So what you're saying is you came because you missed me?" It was meant to be a statement of understanding but it sounded more like a question.

"Well if you put it that way, it sounds so cheesy. But for the record, I missed Eriol and Tomoyo too! They just have super busy schedules and I didn't want to impose on them." Sakura removed herself from the couch and walked to the lone window in the living room.

Syaoran leaned back and crossed his arms behind his head, "And I don't?"

"Judging by the fact that we're here now having this discussion, no."

"Well it's the weekend, what did you expect?" he retorted.

Sakura turned with her arms folded and sighed heavily. "Fine then! I'll just grab my stuff and leave."

Syaoran stood up defensively, "No, no! It's ok for you to stay. It's nice having some company." He lowered his voice towards the end of his statement.

They eyed each other from where they stood without speaking.

She felt a sense of relief that he'd accepted the half-honest answer she'd given him. Of course she'd missed him and Tomoyo and Eriol but there was definitely more to her sleepless nights.

"Well I guess that's, that! I'm going to head out then." Sensing that the conversation may be over, she walked across the room back towards the bedroom to retrieve her things to go grocery shopping.

"There's more to it, isn't there?"

She stopped short of the doorframe and stood, rooted to her spot. She mentally cursed his perceptiveness.

"Nope! Why would you say that?" she turned around and asked through a forced smile. There gazes caught each other and her smile faded at the concern on his face.

"You look tired and troubled. Like something more is bothering you." He stated bluntly.

She had to cover herself and fast. Letting out another forced laugh, she waved him off and continued into the room.

"Of course I'm tired! Didn't you hear what I said? I even started drinking coffee too." she shouted. Grabbing her purse she checked to make sure she had what she needed and headed back towards the living room.

He stood at the entrance between the two rooms and she walked past him. "I'll be back in a little bit so you better be showered and dressed if you want breakfast!" she spoke over her shoulder.

Syaoran watched her cross the room and reach the door. "I know there's more to what you told me but if you're not ready, I won't force you to tell me."

Her hand hovered above the handle on the door and she took a deep breath. She'd have to tell him eventually but like he said, it would have to be on her own terms. With a nod, she left the apartment swiftly and descended the stairs to her car. She opened the driver's door but instead of getting in, took out her cell phone to look up the closest grocery store. It was a beautiful day and the nearest store was within walking distance. Closing the door and locking her car she set off into a brisk walk to clear her mind.

Syaoran entered his room and surveyed the area. The bed remained unmade and the small room seemed fuller with the presence of Sakura's travel bags. He picked up the three luggage items and tucked them into his closet before straightening out the sheets, making the space seem just a little more organized. He walked over to the dresser and caught sight of the bracelet. Lifting it, he carefully examined it and thought back to the last time he'd come in possession of the piece of jewelry and a strange emotion ran through him. Jealously maybe? He sighed and placed the bracelet back on the dresser.

"Get a hold of yourself, Syaoran." He laughed while rubbing a hand through his messy hair. Again he was overcome with a mixture of guilt and embarrassment for feeling as though he was competing with someone who wasn't even here anymore. Making his way into the bathroom, he figured the shower would help me calm his nerves. After all, if he wanted breakfast he would have to be clean and dressed by the time she returned, right? A small blush crept over his face. He had to let himself feel at least a little special since she was off buying groceries to feed him. Not letting the thought sit for too long, he continued with his routine.

Not even 15 minutes into his shower, it was cut short by the rhythmic knocking from his front door. 'She's back already?' he thought, shutting the running water off. The knocking stopped and his phone began to ring.

"The front door is open!" he shouted, poking his head out of the bathroom door. He figured she'd probably forgotten her money or something. He closed the bathroom door just as he heard his front door opening and resumed his shower.

"Don't worry, I'm showering so I can eat breakfast!" he shouted upon hearing his bedroom door opening.

"That's good to know but since when do you just leave your door unlocked & invite strangers in?"

The warm water droplets suddenly felt ice cold against his skin at the sound of the voice on the other side of the door.

"Meiling?" He asked in disbelief, turning off the water.

"Who else would it be? It's not like you have any friends beside me." she laughed.

He shook his head, why did these women assume he didn't have any friends he thought to himself. Syaoran reached for the towel on the rack but realized it'd already been used by Sakura. All of his other towels were in his laundry room waiting to be washed.

"Very funny, Mei. Can you do me a favor?"

"Let me guess, you don't have a towel or a change of clothes?" she responded almost immediately.

Syaoran held his face in his hand and sighed, "You know me way too well."

Meiling walked towards his dresser and carefully picked out a few clothing items. As many times as she'd volunteered to do his laundry, she knew exactly where he kept everything. Her eyes lingered on the bracelet before she walked back to the bathroom, "Here you go!"

Syaoran stuck one hand out and grabbed at the pile of clothes she'd brought for him before swiftly closing the door.

"So…are you expecting someone for breakfast?" Meiling asked as she walked back over the dresser. She could hear him fumbling around as he finished washing up and getting dressed. Gently, she picked up the bracelet and examined the inscriptions on both sides of the heart pendant. Her eyes scrutinizing the meaning behind the name and the word on the adjacent side. Syaoran emerged from the bathroom and she quickly stuck her hands in her pockets, along with the wristlet.

"Why would I be? You're my only friend, remember?" he said sarcastically. She rolled her eyes and watched him carefully.

"Actually, I am meeting up with someone. Which reminds me, why are you here in the first place?" he never once let his eyes meet hers. She was very good at reading him and she'd know that he was hiding something.

"Can't I stop by just to say hello on my way in to work? & who's this person you're meeting?" she inquired, placing her hands on her hips.

Syaoran walked to the window and peaked through the blinds for no reason in particular, "I guess that's reason enough and it's one of my new co-workers. I offered to take 'em out for breakfast since they're new in town. I'm waiting for them to pick me up."

Unable to continue avoiding her, he turned around to face her analytical gaze. That's what Meiling was good at, analyzing everything and coming to conclusions quickly.

"New co-worker towards the end of the semester? That's odd."

"Well they're going to need someone to replace me when I graduate." he responded quickly. He was getting a lot better at this.

"So who's car is that downstairs?" she asked.

Syaoran walked into the living room and grabbed one of the mugs from the counter, placing it in the sink before she could notice.

"I don't know, maybe the old couple next door finally decided to get a car?" he shrugged. The answer was as farfetched as the imaginary co-worker he'd made up just a few moments ago.

"I doubt it. You know they're terrified of those things." She responded very matter-of-factly.

Syaoran threw his hands up in defeat, "Then I don't know, Meiling. Maybe they have someone visiting them."

She flinched at his sudden outburst and took that as a sign that her stay was over.

"Well I'm sorry for asking 21 questions, I was just curious." She glanced at the watch around her wrist before walking towards the door. "I'm going to be on my way then but let's do dinner this week. I still need to talk to you about something and there's someone you need to meet! Maybe you can bring your new uh…coworker." She stumbled on the final words.

She turned around briefly, "So, I'll see you soon?"

Syaoran nodded. Their eyes held each other, both in search of something that neither of them could figure out from the other. With a curt nod and without another word, Meiling turned on her heel and descended the stairs.

Syaoran exhaled loudly and leaned against the door. Running a hand through his hair, he remained this way in thought, unable to believe that she'd accepted his story so easily. It wasn't everyday that he'd attempted to lie to Meiling but now that it'd happened there was no turning back. On the one hand, he knew he couldn't keep Sakura's visit a secret for too long, especially since he didn't even know how long she would be staying for. On the other hand, he knew that if he did tell her she would be extremely hurt by his antics.

His fist slammed against the door in frustration. How could he have let himself fall into such a situation?

There was a light rapping on the door and he quickly turned to face the door.

"Syaoran? Is everything ok?"

The breath he'd been holding left him as he pressed his eye to the peep hole. Sakura stood with a worried expression on her face, a couple of plastic bags dangling from her arms.

"Hey! Yeah, everything's fine." He said nervously, swinging the door open to let her in.

She stepped into the apartment, cautiously eyeing him and placed the grocery bags onto his counter.

"So what was that banging about?" she began to unpack what she'd bought: eggs, orange juice, milk, bread. He watched as each item came out of the bag, attempting to formulate a quick excuse.

"I saw a spider on the door." He rubbed his hands against the side of his pants as if to rid it of the dead bug.

She stopped unpacking and his eyes rose to meet hers, "Poor spider." she laughed before resuming the unpacking.

Breakfast was comprised of cheese omelets, hash browns, toast, small talk and comfortable silences.

Syaoran stood at the sink rinsing the dishes while Sakura dried them and placed them back in their cabinets.

"Have anything planned for today?" Sakura asked, handing the towel to Syaoran. He dried his hands on it and placed it back into the drawer.

"Nothing really. I usually just relax on my weekends." He said while walking back into the living room and taking a seat on the couch.

"What an exciting and busy life you have!" she teased, and took the seat next to him.

He looked at her peculiarly, "Well do you have something better in mind?"

"I do actually." She responded quickly.

"Really?

"Yes."

Sakura stood from the couch and grabbed his hand. He didn't budge as she pulled on his arm.

"Oh, come on, Syaoran! Stop being so lazy."

He groaned and reluctantly peeled himself away from his comfortable spot. "So what's this plan of yours?"

_**s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s**_

Syaoran looked both ways, the light was green but there weren't any cars coming. He pressed the crosswalk button once more and waited.

"Oh come on!" Sakura said impatiently before bolting across the street. In a matter of seconds she'd reached the other side before Syaoran even had a chance to get his foot back on the peddles. Once more he looked both ways before crossing to catch up with her.

"Someone's impatient." He muttered after regaining his spot next to her.

Sakura shrugged, "No one was coming so I didn't feel like waiting. It's too great of a day to be waiting around!" she cheered while turning around.

Syaoran was amazed at the grace with which she was able to move.

"You're pretty good at that." He commented, nodding towards her rollerblades. Twirling back around to face forward she held her hands behind her back.

"I used to do this all the time when I was younger." she stretched her arms out to either side as if she were flying, "It just makes me feel so free." She continued.

Syaoran watched as she sped ahead of him. Turning back around after she was a few feet away, Sakura waited for him to catch up before they continued along the path. The slight breeze carried the euphoric sounds from the other park-goers that decided to enjoy their weekend outdoors.

"This reminds me of grade school when my brother and I used to leave for school together." Sakura said nostalgically. "He would start riding his bike ahead of me since I was always late getting ready in the morning and I would have to speed to catch up with him."

Syaoran listened silently as she continued on about her past. He enjoyed her peaceful chatter and felt relaxed in her company. Too relaxed to the point where he hadn't noticed that she'd stopped speaking. Actually, she'd completely disappeared from his side and he abruptly stopped his bike, nearly colliding with a young girl.

"Watch where you're going, will ya?" the girl nearly fell over but balanced herself by grabbing hold of the handlebars.

"I'm sorry about that. I…was distracted." He said in somewhat of a whisper looking around frantically for any sign of Sakura, spotting her peaking from behind a tree. The girl eyed him carefully and followed his gaze. Sakura ducked back behind the tree at the sight of the girl.

"Interesting…well I'm going to be on my way. Good luck with your distraction!" and with that, the girl continued on her way.

Syaoran dismounted his bike and walked it over to where Sakura hid behind the tree. Her back was leaned against it and she held her face in her hands.

"And you're hiding behind a tree because…?" Syaoran leaned his bike against the tree and crossed his arms.

"That was a close call…and embarrassing. But at least she didn't recognize me." she murmured through her palms.

Tilting his head to the side, he removed one of her hands from her face, "You knew that girl?"

Sakura nodded and knelt to the ground, "I haven't seen her in years but I know for a fact that she's Hiro's younger sister."

Syaoran's eyes widened and he looked back down the sidewalk for any trace of the girl but she was long gone.

"I see…so why didn't you say hello?

"She hates me." Sakura said, picking random blades of grass from the ground and letting them scatter.

Syaoran could tell that the whole event was really bothering her and took a seat on the ground next to her.

"You're probably exaggerating. I mean aside from how you treat me…there's no way that someone could actually hate _you_. You're probably the nicest person on this earth."

Sakura shook her head, ignoring his comment, "Trust me. She's hated me since the first day Hiro introduced me to her. Even after everything that happened.. I think it was one of those over-protective sibling situations."

Syaoran instantly understood. Having 4 older sisters made it virtually impossible for him to have a girlfriend.

"That makes perfect sense. My sisters are terrors when it comes to girls dating me. Every potential girlfriend that I brought home was scared away within the first 20 minutes. Besides Meiling, of course." The words left his mouth before he could even think. How would they feel if he told them that he didn't want to be with Meiling after they'd already deemed her "worthy" enough to be with him. As silly as it sounded. She was the only one that wasn't scared away by them. By countering their crazy antics with her own clever and strong actions, she won their approval.

"Have you…talked to Meiling at all since you've been back?" Sakura asked cautiously through the silence. She felt relieved to have changed the subject but a slight discomfort hovered over her. Although he'd clearly told her that his feelings towards Meiling were nothing more than that of a sister, she couldn't help but feel guilty. She needed to know if things between them had been settled before she allowed herself to be so open around him. Even if she already felt like a hypocrite for thinking that way when she'd invited herself to temporarily live with him without prior notice.

Syaoran nervously rubbed his hands through his hair, "Not really. She's actually been cooking dinner for me almost every day this week but…nothing's been brought up about what we talked about before Spring Break. Maybe she forgot?" he said dumbly. Of course he didn't actually believe that she'd forgotten but he needed Sakura to know that it wasn't a big deal to him. As harsh as it sounded, he couldn't find the strength and patience to stress himself out about something he knew wouldn't work out.

Sakura smacked him lightly on the back of the head and stood from the ground, dusting herself off. She couldn't quite place the feeling that she'd had when Syaoran mentioned that Meiling had been cooking for him every night but decided to try and ignore it.

"Girls don't ever forget matters of the heart that easily. She's probably just waiting for the right time to talk to you." Syaoran followed suit and walked his bike back out to the sidewalk before mounting it. Sakura held her hands behind her back and set off at a slow pace with Syaoran trailing slowly behind her, both at a loss for words.

They neared his apartment once more and Sakura stopped to remove her skates. Syaoran steadily carried his bike up the stairs and unlocked the door, entering his quiet home with Sakura close on his heels, closing the door behind them.

Sakura placed her skates by the front door and without so much as a single word, she headed into the kitchen and began looking through the cabinets and drawers, much like she'd done that morning. Syaoran watched her carefully, unable to understand just what she was doing.

"May I ask why you're inspecting my cabinets?"

Without turning to face him she continued her search through the fridge and freezer.

"You don't know how to cook do you?" she finally reached her conclusion and turned around to face him, her hands placed firmly on her hips.

Syaoran stared at her, thrown off by her question. "I mean, I know how to make a few things but…no, not really."

Sakura's lips twitched into a mischievous smile, "Then let's cook something tonight! I'll buy some ingredients and I can help you cook them."

Syaoran's suspicion was not eased and Sakura walked past him into the bedroom, away from his scrutinizing gaze.

He followed her and stood in the doorframe, his arms folded across his chest.

"You're jealous, aren't you?"

Sakura looked at him incredulously, "What? That's ridiculous. What would I be jealous of?" she quickly grabbed a change of clothes from her suitcases in the closet and headed into the bathroom.

"You don't like the idea of Meiling cooking dinner for me, so you want me to be able to cook by myself. You're jealous." Syaoran said through the closed door.

A few moments passed before the door flew open and Sakura brushed by him to put her dirty clothes away in her bag.

"You're so full of yourself, you know that? Maybe I just wanted to be a nice friend and teach you how to cook?" she made her way out of the bedroom and slipped her shoes on at the front door.

"Whatever you say, Sakura." He said in a disbelieving tone. "Where are you off to?"

She walked over and grabbed his hand, leading him to the door. "YOU are going to drive with me to the store so I can pick out some things for dinner tonight."

"Can't I at least freshen up or something?"

"No." she grabbed his keys from the stand and pulled him along through the front door with her .

"You're such a tyrant." he rolled his eyes playfully and snatched his hand away as they descended the stairs.

"You still put up with me though." She smiled before tossing him his keys.

He stood outside of the driver's side dangling the keys in one hand, "Remind me why we're not taking your car?"

"Because I'm cooking you dinner tonight!" she said, tugging on the handle.

Syaoran unlocked the doors and took his seat before starting the car and pulling out of the driveway. Sakura sat silently, staring out the window.

"So, I thought you said that you would be teaching me how to cook tonight?" he spoke after a few minutes of driving.

"I changed my mind." She said simply as they pulled into the lot for the grocery store.

"I shouldn't be too long so you can wait here for me." She unbuckled her seatbelt and exited the car before he had a chance to respond. "What's your favorite food, by the way?" Sakura asked, briefly turning around.

"Chicken and Dumplings!" he yelled back before she nodded and bounded into the grocery store.

Syaoran shook his head with a sigh. This girl really was a puzzle. He turned the car off and reclined his seat, hoping to rest even just a little. The day really had been exhausting. Aside from Spring Break, he couldn't remember the last time he'd actually taken a day to enjoy himself outside. Usually on his days off he'd stay in his apartment, huddled up in his room catching up on homework or just staying to himself. The only time he'd find himself outside would be to run errands or if he was going to see Meiling.

As if on cue, his phone began to ring. He fished it from his back pocket and stared at the name displayed on the screen.

"Seriously?" he looked around the parking lot, stretching out of his seat to see any indication that the raven-haired girl was nearby. Her car was nowhere to be found and there really wasn't anyone in the parking lot that resembled her. He hesitated for a few more moments, debating whether or not he wanted to answer the phone and trying to come up with any sort of excuse as to why he couldn't see her tonight. If he told her that he'd be having dinner with his 'new coworker' then she'd insist on dropping by to meet them. If he agreed, then he'd either have to bring Sakura with him or leave her by herself for a few hours. '_Or I can just not answer and figure out an excuse later' _he sighed with relief and decided on that. The phone gave one last shutter before it lay still in his hand. He laughed to himself with a shake of his head. Eriol was right, he definitely needed to grow a back bone.

Meiling rolled her eyes as she disconnected her call to Syaoran and switched back to her other line  
>"I told you this was a dumb idea. He didn't answer."<p>

The girl on the other line laughed, _"It was a great idea! He's just dumb for missing out on your awesome cooking. How about I drop by and enjoy the dinner for him? Then when I finally meet him, I can rub it in his face." _She joked.

Meiling couldn't help by smile at her friend's sense of humor. "Fine then. I'll just finish picking up a few more things and I'll let you know when to come by."

"_Sounds good to me! See you later!" _

Meiling heard the line go dead and she slipped the phone into her purse. Maybe she was over reacting just a little but it was very unlike Syaoran to miss her call. Especially on weekends when she knew he wouldn't really be doing much of anything.

Her thoughts drifted back to the bracelet. She hadn't looked at it since she'd first taken it from his house, her guilty conscious getting the best of her. He hadn't called to ask her about it either, but then again, why would he? She was probably one of the few people he trusted and wouldn't expect her to steal something from him.

Maybe it didn't even belong to him or anyone he knew. He could have found it somewhere on campus and was waiting until the weekend was over to turn it in to a lost and found.

She continued down the aisle and found the last item on her list before heading towards the checkout line.

'_Annnnd I'm done.'_ Sakura mentally noted as she picked up 2 cans of cream of chicken soup. She was actually excited to cook tonight. It'd been a while since she was able to cook for anyone other than herself. When she was still in grade school, she and Touya would take turns cooking dinner every other night. There was just a certain satisfaction she felt from watching others enjoy a meal that she'd cooked. _'That's probably how Meiling must feel,' _her guilty conscious took a jab at her. With a momentary sigh, she took a deep breath and pushed the thought away. There was no harm in cooking a dinner for her friend. Even if she may or may not have had feelings for said friend.

Lost in her own thoughts, she hadn't noticed how fast she was walking until she nearly collided with someone at the entrance to the checkout line.

"I'm so sorry! I really need to start looking where I'm going!" Sakura apologize genuinely. Her "cart victim" simply laughed it off and told her that it was ok. As a kind gesture, Sakura offered the first spot in the line, which was gladly accepted.

"It looks like we're both making the same thing tonight!" Sakura said while surveying the items strewn about the other cart as the girl in front of her unloaded them to the cashier.

"Hm? Oh! It does seem that way doesn't it."

"Chicken and dumplings?" Sakura asked. The girl in front of her nodded and opened her mouth as if to say something but was cut off.

"May I see your ID, please?" The cashier interrupted as he picked up a bottle of red wine to scan.

The girl nodded and pulled out her wallet from her purse. Handing the cashier her ID, he examined it swiftly before giving it back to her.

"Special plans?" Sakura asked curiously.

The girl's phone rang as she fumbled to put her ID back into her wallet. Attempting to answer the phone at the same time, the ID slipped to the floor. Sakura knelt down to retrieve it for her and froze at the sight of the name on the card.

"Meiling…" She whispered.

"Yes?" the other girl said almost instantly.

Sakura quickly stood and held out the ID to her, "I'm sorry—it's just…"

"Oh no, sorry. I was talking to them." Meiling held her hand over the receiver and whispered while pointing towards it before reaching out and taking the ID from Sakura's outstretched hand.

"No, I didn't forget the red wine!" she quickly said into the phone as she paid the cashier and gathered her bags into her cart. She looked back at a stunned Sakura and mouthed the words "Thank You" before walking out of the store.

Sakura couldn't believe her luck—or rather lack thereof. She slowly loaded her items to be scanned.

'_It has to be her. There's no way it's just a coincidence.'_ she thought as she slowly pushed her cart out into the grocery store parking lot. She didn't know what to expect, really. Syaoran hadn't really talked about Meiling in full detail. She was beautiful and she seemed nice enough. And why was she buying chicken and dumplings? Was she planning on cooking for Syaoran as well sometime this week? Sakura's eyebrows furrowed with the intruding thoughts. But she was meeting with someone so maybe she was seeing someone else? It wasn't good for her to be too conclusive but she used that thought to ease her guilty mind even if it was slightly.

"You look like a lost child." Syaoran commented as he got out of his car to help her load the groceries into the trunk.

"Huh? Oh! No, I was just thinking." Sakura stumbled through her words.

Syaoran eyed her warily. "Is something the matter?" he asked, packing the last of the bags into the trunk before closing it. She shook her head and pushed the cart up onto the median before taking her seat in the passenger side.

The ride back to the apartment, although very short, was also very quiet. Syaoran didn't know what to say. He'd tried asking her if anything had happened inside the store but she continued to decline, insisting that she was ok.

He sighed and shook his head as he continued to unpack the groceries in the kitchen. He would never understand why girls always said that nothing was wrong when clearly, the frown and lost look in their eyes showed otherwise.

Syaoran heard his room door open and Sakura reenter, taking a seat at the stool in front of the counter. His back still turned to her as he placed some items in the fridge, she let out a long sigh.

"Sakura just tell me what's—"

"Why do you like me?" She cut him off before he could finish.

He continued to stand there, halfway turned to face her. "I—wait, what?" he questioned, unsure of if he'd heard the right thing.

She glared at him, "Please don't make me repeat myself." She said dully.

Syaoran ran his hands through his hair nervously. He really hadn't expected to be talking to her about something like this. There was no time to think of some witty or charming answer, he simply stood there, fumbling with his words.

"I-uh, I don't know. I mean, I do know!" he corrected himself quickly, "but it's hard to explain it." He said almost as if to himself.

Sakura laid her head upon her arm and let out another sigh, "I mean, I'm not that pretty. I've got way too many emotions to deal with all the time and I dunno, the list can go on and on."

"Can it?" He asked jokingly, raising his eyebrows.

She let out an exasperated sigh, "You know what I mean! Why do you even bother with me?"

"Because I like you!" he shouted in almost equal frustration.

Taking a minute to breath he continued, "It's as simple as that. I like you and I want to help you work through whatever it is that you're going through. I want to be your friend Sakura and I put that before anything else we may or may not have." He paused to walk around to her side of the counter.

"You're funny and sweet and even though you show it in weird ways, I know you're a caring person."

She managed a small laugh and opened her mouth to say something but he stopped her.

"And you're beautiful. Inside and out, Sakura. I feel like there are so many things I could say to you but—"

"Oh realllly? Like what?" she questioned with a smirk.

He softened at the sound of her sarcasm and reached out, pulling her into a hug, "That you're a pain, you know."

She melted into his warmth. The silent embrace continued for a few more moments before Sakura spoke again,

"It was just a simple question. No one told you to get all hot and bothered over it." she said into his shirt.

"I've learned that nothing is ever simple with you. Maybe that's another reason..." Syaoran pulled away slightly and looked down at her and she looked up at him, slightly confused.

"I like solving puzzles. You-you're like a complex puzzle piece with all of the pieces are laid out, scattered, just waiting to be put back together." He whispered.

Sakura searched his eyes for any sign of a joke, of laughter, of anything to show that he was only kidding but the look on his face was anything but. Her fingers tingled as she gripped the sleeves of his shirt a little tighter and her chest felt as though it would explode from the pounding of her heart when his arms tightened their hold against her back. Her breath caught in her throat as he brought his face closer to hers, their foreheads touching. She swallowed the lump of emotion in her throat and fought for air. Finding it hard to breathe from the sudden rush of heat that coursed through her, she closed her eyes.

"But if there's something I've learned…it's that sometimes we just need to be patient…and the pieces will fall into place on their own." He whispered before kissing her forehead and backing away slowly.

Sakura opened her eyes to see his retreating figure.

"I'm going to get some fresh air…I'll be back soon, ok?" he turned around briefly and flashed her a soft smile before leaving the quiet apartment.

Syaoran leaned his back against the front door and held his head to the sky, taking in a deep breath of the warm afternoon air. He reached into his pocket and retrieved his phone as he descended the stairs two at a time. His fingers dialed the numbers quickly and he continued to walk, waiting for the voice on the other line to pick up.

"_So now you want to call me back." _

He sighed and took a seat on the nearest bench. "I know, I'm sorry. Do you have a few minutes to talk?"

There was brief silence on the other line and the sound of a door closing before they spoke,

"_Is it about what we talked about before?"_ they asked quietly.

Syaoran nodded for no reason I particular. With hesitation in his voice he continued, "Sort of..I…"

"_You don't have to be all nervous about it."_

There was silence once again between the lines as Syaoran took a deep breath before speaking,

"But there's someone else."

Silence replaced his voice once more and after a few seconds, he knew the line had gone dead.

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><p><strong>AN: I hope you enjoyed my suspenseful ending! ^_^ I'll update as soon as I can! I've already got the next 2 chapters lined up. My birthday is next week and I think it'd be nice to celebrate with you all by posting at least one of the chapters! <strong>

****Answer time: [if I missed anyone, be free to figuratively kick my butt, k?]****

****-  
><strong>****_Guest_**: Happy now? :)

**_StereoTimeBomb_: **Thank you for reading & for the encouragment! Which American Dad episode? (I'm curious!) A couple of your questions were answered but I promise the rest of them will be in the coming chapters. Things are going to get pretty serious soon!

_**Emilie-Horswill: **_haha yeah, my fingers type way faster than what I'm actually thinking sometimes & I'm too lazy to proofread too much. Thank you for reading!

**_KawaiiAmy13:_ **I love this story too so I will update ^_^

**_Czee_: **awww, I hope this chapter is long enough for you! & I'm really sorry for making you wait for so long.

**_Moon86:_ **I would love to go to a haunted house soon! Thanks for the review ^_^

**_Nicole94:_** Just wait 'til you read the next few chapters!

**_Saki-Hime:_ **I'm happy my chapter was in time for your birthday (4 months ago now! Happy Belated!) I hope the next update will be in time for mine (next friday!)

**_Dandy352: _**We spoke through PM's but thank you for your comments & the review ^_^. I really appreciate your thoughts!

**_Pockie_: **Thank you! & I hope you still love it even with my late updates ~_~.

_**Kawaii chibi Chidori-chan: **_I hope you liked this chapter & the next ones to come too!

**_Kuromimi:_ **aghhhh I totally wasn't able to update for your birthday :( but I hope this chapter makes up for it!

**_deadflo:_ **Thank youuuu! & it's about to get even realer!

**_Aizawa Li Syaoran Vessalius:_ **haha yeah, honestly I didn't even plan for that part to be in there until I started writing it. It's actually based off of a piano-bar I went to back in January for my friends birthday. Not all of the events took place but...it was still exciting ^_^


	12. Beauty in the Breakdown

**Disclaimer:**  
><strong>I do not own any of these characters - CLAMP has that right. [I do own this plot though &amp; a couple extra people in there ^_^]<strong>

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><p><em><span>Summary:<span>_  
><em>Syaoran has been living a pretty comfortable life until a girl he meets during a Spring Break road trip shows up on his doorstep a week later, turning his comfortable world upside down.<em>

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><p><strong>AN: It was very difficult for me to write this chapter. But I think it was also one of my favorites to write. :)<br>~ almost 2 months, a couple of job changes, 3 laptops, a near breakup & 3 Taylor Swift albums later….**

**(Edit):  
><strong>

**So...I woke up this morning realizing that today marks my official year as an author on FF! Which means that this story will be a year old on Tuesday! o_o. That's completely ridiculous!  
><strong>

**FYI, just fixed a couple of things. Nothing too major. (if you get this email update again saying I posted another new chapter.)  
><strong>

**(Enjoy!)**

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><p><strong>Chapter 12: Beauty in the Breakdown<strong>

_So let go—Jump in—Oh well, whatcha waiting for? _

_It's all right—'Cause there's Beauty in the Breakdown_ – "Let Go" (Frou Frou)

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><p>The phone rang twice before it was answered.<p>

"Who's being the dramatic one now?" There was a condescending tone in Syaoran's voice.

"_I'm sorry! I thought someone was coming into the room. You know how they get. I'm only looking out for you." _

Syaoran took a deep breath sighed with understanding. Closing his eyes he rubbed his temple with his hand, "I know, FeiMei. Thanks. But did you at least hear the last thing I said?"

"_Not at all!"_ she giggled through the line. Syaoran held his face in his hand and shook his head. As much as he wanted to be annoyed, he needed her help.

"_So this is about Meiling, right? Did you guys talk? Before she left she was under some crazy assumption that you'd ran off and gotten married to some other girl but we all knew you wouldn't do that, right? Life would end as you knew it if you did and forgot to include us."_ The joking tone in her voice was almost sinister.

"_Are you there?"_

Syaoran was in pure shock over what his sister had just said, realization dawning on him. He was right to believe that Meiling _had_ overheard.

"_Helllooooo?"_ his sister chimed again.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm here. No, we haven't talked yet but—" he took a deep breath before continuing. It was a good thing that Fei Mei was hundreds of miles away; he knew he wouldn't be able to deal with the reaction he was about to receive.

"I did meet someone else. And I—"

"_You what?!"_

Syaoran held the phone away from his ear and winced. Just the reaction he'd anticipated.

"_So, it's true?! Syaoran if you—"_

"Calm down, FeiMei," he laughed. "No, it's not true. Well, technically there was a fake marriage but that's besides the point—I need you to have a clear mind and—FeiMei!" Syaoran stared at the phone, letting out a frustrating growl after being hung up on for the second time. He was about to call her back when his phone began to ring again.

"Will you stop hanging up on me? If you're not going to help me then I'll ask someone else." He brought his voice to a whisper as a couple walked by.

"_Like who?"_

Syaoran felt his built up tension slowly begin to fade. She had a point; there really wasn't anyone else he could talk to about this that would have an unbiased opinion. As much as his sister loved Meiling, she was the only one who still cared about his well being over everything else.

Syaoran sighed in defeat, "Can we just get to the point?" he sank down into the bench.

He heard his sister mutter something incoherent before she answered. _"I'm listening. But you have to give me full details later!"_

"Deal." He agreed quickly, regaining his posture.

Syaoran swiftly and quietly gathered his thoughts. "Ok, so she's Eriol's girlfriend—well, fiance's—cousin and-"

"Eriol's getting married?! What's with the men in this family and keeping all of these secrets?" FeiMei complained.

Syaoran cleared his throat, "As I was saying. We practically hated each other half the trip and—"

"_What's her name?"_ she interrupted again.

Syaoran had the sudden urge to crush his phone but knew that it would counterproductive.

"Her name is Sakura."

"_Oh, that's a pretty name. Go ahead, I won't interrupt you anymore." _

Syaoran attempted to get his thoughts straight again but couldn't seem to get a grasp on just what he wanted to say.

"Ok, long story short: I really like Sakura and I don't know how to break it to Meiling. But Sakura's last relationship…well let's just say it didn't end so well but she says I just need to give her time. But still, Meiling has always been there for me and I would hate to be the one to hurt her again. So I know I can't just let things be how they are, it'll only get worse." Syaoran finished, almost out of breath as if he'd just spoken one long sentence.

FeiMei was silent on the other line, no doubt thinking of something clever or philosophically helpful to say so he waited patiently. A full minute had passed before she'd finally spoken,

"_So…you're caught between the overly-clingy long-time friend and the intriguing new girl with…baggage."_

Syaoran nearly dropped the phone at her deduction. In a sense, she was right but did she have to be so blunt about it?

When he didn't answer, she continued, _"Syaoran, if Sakura & Meiling mean that much to you then the first thing you're going to have to do is let Meiling know how you feel. It's not fair to either of them, since I'm assuming you've told Sakura about Meiling. You're too much of a gentleman not to. As for Sakura, dating a girl with her circumstances isn't easy. You'll need a lot of patience and there's going to be a lot of emotion involved. So the only question you really need to ask yourself is if you're ready for that kind of commitment."_

Her words hit him like a brick. It was as if he knew it all along but was dreading hearing it. '_Commitment._' That's what it all came down to but was the one thing that he'd been avoiding this entire time.

"Thank you, FeiMei. I'll let you know how everything goes, ok?"

"_It's no problem, little brother. Just remember—no matter what you decide—it won't be easy. Regardless of the decision, there will be tears and you'll have to be strong." _

Syaoran nodded his head, "I know. Thanks. Tell mom I love her and—"

"_Don't worry, I won't tell the others about Sakura or this talk. If she ends up being the one you choose…you already know the deal," _she laughed at her last words. Syaoran smiled, he knew that she was referring to the interrogation that any girl interested in him had to receive.

"Of course. I promise I'll call you soon."

"_Don't make promises you can't keep, Syaoran. Have a good night." _

And with that, the line went dead. Syaoran glanced up at the sky; the sun was a lot lower than before. Time seemed to pass quickly as his mind wandered over the solutions to his current situation. Since talking with Meiling, he'd been so afraid to committing to something—or someone, rather. But strangely enough, he just needed to hear it from someone else.

The sun was no longer in sight and the streetlights began to flicker on one by one. Looking down at his watch, it was almost 7, and his stomach let out a low rumble to remind him that he hadn't eaten anything since the morning. Syaoran stood and stretched before heading back in the direction of his apartment. He held his head high with a steady mind and a conscious that needed to be cleared.

The apartment was quiet when he finally returned and Sakura was nowhere in sight. There were still a few groceries scattered about the counter and no indication that any sort of food had been made. "So much for dinner." he sighed. After slipping off his shoes, he quickly put the remaining items away and took a seat at the counter.

"Ow, ow, ow!"

Syaoran furrowed his eyebrows at the sound coming from his bedroom. "Sakura?"

"I'm in here!"

"Obviously." Syaoran said under his breath and rolled his eyes, making his way to his room.

Upon entering, he found Sakura sitting on the floor next to his computer desk. With further inspection of the scene before him, he'd briefly noted the mounds of clothes on the floor and her open suitcases before walking over to help her.

"I leave you alone just for a bit and you've already managed to wreck my room and injure yourself." He laughed while helping her to her feet.

Sakura rubbed the back of her head, "I know, I'm sorry. But I can't find my bracelet. I've looked everywhere."

Syaoran glanced around the room, stopping at the dresser. "It was here yesterday. Are you sure you didn't wear it out today?"

Sakura shook her head, taking a seat on the edge of the bed. "Positive. After you left, I realized I hadn't seen it since I took it off."

Syaoran stared at the dresser where he could have sworn he'd seen it last and got up to check behind it.

"It's no use. I've already checked behind there." The distraught brunette lay back onto the bed and covered her face with her hands.

Syaoran sat next to her on the bed and pealed her hands away from her face. "We'll find it. Don't stress over it too much right now. We can look more in the morning."

Sakura looked up at him and nodded with an unconvinced smile. Syaoran lay back against the single pillow on the bed and closed his eyes, soaking in the comfortable silence.

"So where did you run off to earlier?" she asked as nonchalantly as possible.

Syaoran peaked one eye open only to find that much like him, Sakura seemed to be in a relaxed state of mind, both her eyes were closed.

"I went for a walk and called my sister."

"That's sounds nice. I should give my brother a call tomorrow. It's been over a week since I've talked to him."

Syaoran scoffed, "Do you guys talk everyday or something?"

Sakura reached over and poked him hard in the side, "Don't hate. We try to talk to each other at least once a week.

Syaoran listlessly swatted her hand away from his side. "No hating here. I don't think I could ever call my sisters that often. My phone bill would be ridiculous."

Sakura let out a small laugh and turned on her side to face him. His eyes remained closed and unlike her own, his breathing seemed calm and steady. How was he so calm after what almost happened? There were questions that she wanted to ask him, things she wanted to tell him but how?

"Let's not talk about it tonight." Syaoran muttered, his eyes opening slightly. He turned onto his side and looked over at her, a melancholic expression upon his face.

"There are a few things I want to take care of first. But I promise we'll talk about it tomorrow." He whispered, reaching his hand over he brushed a strand of her auburn locks from her cheek and pushed it behind her ear.

Sakura caught his hand in hers and held it against her cheek, the warmth coloring them with a soft shade of pink. She sighed heavily with a single nod.

The sound of their hungry stomachs pierced through their serenity almost simultaneously.

Sakura stifled a giggle and Syaoran grinned.

"I guess we should find something to eat, huh?" she whispered, releasing his hand.

Syaoran nodded and sat up, "We'll save the cooking lesson for some other time." He rose from the bed and walked towards the door. Sakura surveyed the mess she'd made and stood up. "Maybe I should clean up a little too."

Syaoran grabbed his keys from the counter and stood at the front door, "You work on that and I'll go get us some food." He yelled back at her.

"Yeah…" She agreed quietly with a nod and began picking up the clothes scattered around the room, messily stuffing them into her suitcases. She'd have to worry about folding them later.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

"Your place is really nice. It's cozy!" Emi exclaimed as she walked through the threshold of Meiling's one-bedroom apartment. Meiling closed the door behind her friend and followed her into the kitchen. "Thanks! It took me some time to figure out what to do with the place. Syaoran helped me out a lot with the decorations."

Emi took her coat off and set it over the back of her chair. "Speaking of," she started, taking a seat at the stool.

"How goes things with your Syaoran-bear?"

Meiling grabbed two wine glasses from the cabinet and sat them on the counter, rolling her eyes.

"He seems to be doing ok. We haven't really talked about 'us' though." She said using air quotes.

Emi cupped her head into her hands and pouted, "You guys are horrible at this."

Meiling let out an exaggerated sigh, "I just don't want to rush things. It's a thin line, you know? Between friendship and…wherever this is going!" she waved her hands in the air in an attempt to describe the situation. Retrieving the bottle of red wine from the fridge, she set it on the table along with the glasses before returning to the kitchen.

"If you take any longer, some other girl my come in and swoop him up!" the blonde laughed.

Meiling's mind wandered back to the bracelet that was still in the bottom of her purse and frowned at the thought of Syaoran keeping a secret from her.

"I was only joking! Sheesh, what's been up with you? The old Meiling wouldn't have gotten so worked up about some boy." She muttered.

"Ouch. Well the old Meiling didn't have any reason to be insecure." The raven-haired girl shot back slyly.

Emi stopped short in her tracks, nearly causing Meiling to drop run into her.

"What's wrong?" Meiling asked, setting her plate down on the table. Emi put hers down as well and turned to face her friend, "I didn't mean to-I mean, I'm really sorry about…" her words faded out and she took a deep breath.

Meiling laughed, "Emi, stop it. You've apologized enough. What happened back then can't be changed and things worked out just fine."

Emi took this opportunity to trap Meiling in a bear hug, "You're the best friend a girl could ever ask for."

"You're just now realizing that?" Meiling replied, pulling away.

The girls laughed together and resumed their dinner plans, sitting across from each other at the table.

"When I meet this guy I'm going to kick his butt. I can't believe you went out of your way to cook him his favorite meal and he can't even call you back!"

Meiling slipped a piece of chicken into her mouth and followed it up with a sip of wine. "Well, he can't avoid me for—"the ringing of her cellphone interrupted her and she retrieve it from her purse.

"A little too late to be calling me back, Emi's already eating your dinner!" She smirked as she answered.

Syaoran turned off his car and rubbed the back of his head. "I'm really sorry about that. I got a little caught up today. What did you make?" He closed the door of his car and adjusted the packages in his hands. Emi reached over and grabbed the phone from Meiling, "Chicken and dumplings, loser! You should've been here enjoying it."

Syaoran arched his eyebrows in confusion at the unknown voice from the other line. "I'm sorry?"

Meiling wrestled the phone back from her friend and escaped from the table. "I'm sorry about that. _That_ was Emi and you need to meet her soon!" she said eagerly, settling down on to the couch.

Syaoran ascended the steps to his apartment, fumbling with his keys in one hand, balancing his phone between his shoulder and ear and attempting to keep the food from falling out from under his other arm.

"Quick question, do you want to grab breakfast with me tomorrow morning?" he asked as he finally reached the landing in front of his door, his balancing act becoming harder.

Meiling sat up on the couch, somewhat surprised, "Oh, um. Sure! Yeah, that sounds awesome." She looked back at Emi, wide-eyed and a large grin forming.

The door to Syaoran's apartment swung open and Sakura silently giggled at the frustration upon Syaoran's face from trying to multi-task.

"Need help?" She asked, reaching out and grabbing the food from him.

"What was that?" Meiling questioned, returning to the dinner table.

"It's nothing," Syaoran replied quickly, entering his apartment and slipping his shoes off. "So I'll see you at 10? We can meet at the same café where we met before."

Meiling nodded, "That sounds great. I'll see you then. Ok, bye."

She could no longer contain the squeal within her as she ended the call and reached across the table, trapping Emi in a suffocating embrace.

"Someone's excited!" Emi exclaimed through her head-locked position.

Meiling released the blonde and tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. She placed her phone on the table and picked up her fork, resuming her meal as if nothing had happened. "That's because _someone_ has a breakfast date with a certain boy tomorrow." She placed a piece of food in her mouth and chewed happily.

"No way?!" Emi cheered and launched herself into another hug with her friend, causing Meiling to nearly choke on the food she'd just placed in her mouth.

"That's what I like to hear!" she continued, "So can I come? I promise I won't scare him away." Emi pleaded.

Meiling hesitated for a moment, "Yeah, I guess. But I want to talk to him first before you meet him!"

"Oh? So when you introduce us, you can introduce him as 'your boyfriend'?" Emi teased.

Meiling smacked her playfully on the arm and stuck another fork full of food into her mouth. "I'm not saying." She mumbled through her full mouth. As excited as she was, there was still something unsettling about the entire situation. Glancing back up at Emi, she forced another smile.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

"I hope you're ok with take-out. I was too hungry to think of something else." Syaoran said as he relaxed into a stool. Sakura pulled out the contents of the large brown bag and began separating them onto two different plates on the counter.

"It's perfectly fine! Everything looks and smells great. I was a little too tired to cook anyways." She mused.

Syaoran took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, "That's good." He sighed.

Walking around to the other side of the counter, Sakura placed a plate down in front of him and sat down with her own. Syaoran eyed her curiously, "You smell very…girly." He scooted a couple of inches away from her as if offended by her aroma.

"Better girly than like a smelly boy." She retorted. "You're in luck, you're entire bathroom smells just like me!"

"Fantastic." He said sarcastically. "At least one of us actually had the time to shower." Syaoran continued, taking a bite from his food. Sakura rolled her eyes and in turn decided not to reply. She couldn't understand how easily it was for them to revert back to normalcy, as if nothing had ever happened. It was a reoccurring patter between them and as much as it puzzled her, in the end she'd always just accept things for what they were. Out of the corner of her eye she watched him eat. She followed his gaze but couldn't find anything fascinating about the wall in the kitchen that could keep his focus so well.

Sakura sighed inwardly and mentally agreed that the 'normalcy' was just a probably just a façade. Syaoran was good at that: turning everything into nothing for the sake of pleasant company.  
>She cleared her throat, breaking the silence. "Hot date tomorrow morning?" she asked jokingly.<p>

"If you want to call it that." He said dully. "I'll tell you about it when it's over." He continued to stare at the wall in front of him. He didn't feel so great about his decision anymore after hearing the excitement in Meiling's voice. But it had to be done, right? 'Right', he mentally agreed with himself.

"I guess you really were hungry." Sakura chimed in once more in an attempt to keep the silence away.

Syaoran broke his trance with the wall and looked at her quizzically before looking down at his now empty plate.

He let out a small smile, "I guess so!"

Sakura smiled as well and looked back down at her plate, "Well I don't even think I can finish what's on my plate. You should get seconds if you're still hungry though. There's plenty left!"

Syaoran stared at his plate in hesitation before he nodded in approval and helped himself to seconds. The silence returned again once he'd taken his seat. Syaoran, this time focused on the food on his plate. He actually wasn't really that hungry anymore at all. Absentmindedly, he pushed bits of food around, occasionally sneaking a glance at Sakura. Apparently, she'd also taken to playing with her food through the silence. They weren't getting anywhere.

"On second thought, I'm really not too hungry anymore after all. I'm going to go shower." Syaoran announced suddenly, rising from his seat with his plate in his hand. Sakura met his gaze timidly and nodded.

He reached across her to pick up her plate. "Are you…done with this?" he whispered slowly, realizing the action he'd just taken. Their faces were about a foot apart but still close enough for each to feel the steady breathing of the other.

They stayed like this for what seemed like more than the 5 seconds that it really was before Sakura nodded, breaking eye contact. Syaoran grabbed her plate and quickly emptied its contents into the trash and placed it into the sink. He began to put his leftovers into a plastic container when Sakura stopped him.

"No, no! Let me, since you bought dinner." Sakura raced over, grabbing his hands and halting his actions.

Sakura quickly released them and Syaoran turned away from her.

"If you say so," he shrugged as he dried his hands on the towel hanging. Without another glance, he announced his departure for the shower, leaving Sakura in the kitchen alone.

The moment she heard the bathroom door close, she felt her body settle and she continued her task.

She quickly stored the leftovers in the fridge and leaned against the closed door. This was going to be way harder than she thought. He was no doubt going to talk to Meiling in the morning, she knew that much from the phone call she overheard. Which also meant that she would have to give him some sort of answer. Why she'd come to visit him? Where they would go from there?

Her mind felt clouded and she heaved another sigh. "I'll just sleep on it." She mumbled before peeling herself away from the fridge. "Just pretend like nothing is up and enjoy the rest of the evening!" she voiced aloud again as she rummaged through his cabinets.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Syaoran finished towel drying his hair as he took a seat at the edge of his bed. The warm shower was just what he needed to relax. There was no going back now, he'd agreed to meet with Meiling which meant that he'd made his decision…right? Even though he wasn't sure of what to do after the morning was over. But would he really even go through with it? How easy was it to break up with someone? Scratch that—he wasn't even really breaking up with her…but it was definitely starting to feel that way.

He ran his hands through his hair in frustration. Tomorrow no longer looked like the warm light of freedom that he was so sure about just an hour ago but rather a step into the confusing light of uncertainty. 'Enjoy right now while you can, Syaoran.' The voice inside his head droned. With one final sigh, he conceded to whatever fate had in store for him tomorrow.

Wrapping the damp towel around his neck, he finished dressing and rejoined Sakura in the adjacent room.

"Something smells good."

Sakura turned her attention to Syaoran as he emerged from his bedroom and peered down at her from behind the couch. She leaned up and sniffed the air between them. "Yup, you're not so smelly anymore."

Syaoran rolled his eyes and tossed the damp towel on top of her head before walking into the kitchen.

"Ew!" Sakura immediately removed the towel from her head and threw it on the floor as if it were the vilest thing she'd ever touched.

Syaoran laughed at her reaction, "It's just water. It's not going to hurt you." He retrieved the carton of milk from the fridge and poured himself a glass before grabbing a few of the fresh cookies Sakura had made and returned to sit next to her on the couch.

Without hesitation, Sakura reached over and grabbed two cookies from his plate.

"Hey! Get your own!" Syaoran protested. Sakura stuffed both cookies into her mouth and grinned at him through full cheeks. It took her a few moments to finish them both before she took a gulp from her water cup and let out a satisfied breath.

"That's what you get for throwing your dirty towel on me." She replied triumphantly.

Syaoran briefly glared at her, "Pig."

"Takes one to know one." She retorted slyly just as he stuffed a cookie into his mouth.

An infomercial blared from the television, disrupting their conversation and Syaoran used this distraction to go get more cookies. This time he returned with two napkins with cookies and handed one to Sakura. "So you don't have to steal mine."

Sakura took them and stuck her tongue out at him, "I DID make these, you know. I can do whatever I want."

Ignoring her comment, Syaoran reached for the TV remote that sat between them. "Wanna watch a movie?"

Sakura playfully slapped his hand and picked up the remote before him, hugging it to her chest.

"Being territorial of things that aren't even yours?" he raised an eyebrow.

"What's mine is yours and yours is mine. You eat my cookies, I own your TV." She grinned.

Syaoran rolled his eyes for what seemed like the millionth time and repeated his question, "So…movie?"

Sakura flipped through a couple of channels, "It depends…what did you have in mind?"

He let out a sigh before walking over to his entertainment center where his DVD's were. "I don't know, what do you feel like watching?"

Sakura munched down on another cookie with a pensive look on her face, "Hm, I'm not really in the mood for a comedy or a chick flick. Maybe an action movie? Something that's not too scary."

He shuffled through his collection and stopped on one, "Have you seen 'Connected?'" he asked.

Sakura held a finger to her chin in thought before shaking her head in decline, "Don't think I know that one."

"It's pretty good. Do you mind getting the lights?" Syaoran busied himself with preparing the movie while Sakura rose to turn off the lights.

"Sure! I'm going to make some popcorn before we start though." she asked, already walking towards the kitchen.

Syaoran started the movie and returned to the couch, "You really are a pig."

"No one asked your opinion about my eating habits. Pause the movie while I make it, k?"

"It's ok if you miss the first few minutes anyways." Syaoran responded.

Sakura shrugged and skipped into the kitchen. The microwave whirred as she hummed softly to herself watching the counter tick down. "You know? I've always been told that standing next to the microwave while it's on is horrible for you. But I can't help but be mesmerized by it! Does that mean there's something wrong with me?" Sakura asked in a childish manner.

"Syaoran?"

Before she had the chance to turn around, the hair on her neck rose as a creepy voice whispered in her ear.

"_What's your favorite scary movie?" _Sakura let out a yelp of fear at the raspy voice in her ear. She spun around quickly to see a laughing Syaoran, the sound ringing throughout the tiny apartment.

"That's not funny!" she yelled over him.

Syaoran held his hands up in defense, "I'm sorry, I just couldn't help it. You'd probably be the first one to go in a scary movie."

Sakura made a move to punch him in the arm and he effortlessly caught her fist before letting it drop and walking over to the fridge.

"Violence is never the answer, Sakura." He smirked as he refilled his glass.

Sakura rolled her eyes and removed the popcorn from the microwave. "Then I guess if sharing is caring, you just won't get any of my popcorn."

Syaoran shrugged and followed her back to the couch, flipping off the light switch on his way, "Sure, go ahead and eat that _huge_ bowl by yourself."

Sakura glared at him and shoved the bowl in between them, grabbing a handful of popcorn in the process.

"And to answer your question, yes, it's bad to stare into the microwave." Syaoran wagged a finger at her and Sakura made a snapping motion with her teach at it. Syaoran quickly withdrew his hand muttering about feisty little pigs in the process.

"So what's this movie about anyway?" She asked while chewing another handful of the buttery treat.

Syaoran grabbed a fistful for himself and stuffed it in his mouth before holding a single finger to his lips, "Shhh. Watch." He relaxed back into the couch and pointed at the television as the opening scene began to play.

Sakura crossed her arms and leaned back into the couch, picking at the little white puffs, one by one.

Syaoran was awakened by the sudden clatter of the remote falling to the floor and a face full of brunette locks.

'What the…?' he attempted to sit up, surveying his current position. After the 3rd movie and the 4th bowl of popcorn, his arm had managed to become Sakura's pillow and his entire body was snug in between her own and the couch. To top it all off, he had an insatiable thirst. He knew he shouldn't have eaten so much of the popcorn just to annoy Sakura and should have just let her have her way.

Not wanting to wake her too suddenly, he managed to reach his free arm across her still figure and towards the coffee table. Very gingerly, he slid the cup towards him with the tips of his fingers until he was able to grasp it fully in his hand and brought it back towards him.

Sakura awoke with a jolt just as the cup was over the couch, knocking it out of Syaoran's hand. She let out a small cry as the cold water cascaded down onto not only herself but the couch and Syaoran as well.

"What's your problem?" she shrieked. She quickly picked up her own cup and attempted to dump its contents onto Syaoran in retaliation. He swiftly moved out of the way as the water fell with a splatter onto the couch.

"My problem? Mine was an accident! You're just trying to ruin my furniture!"

They stood in a silent deadlock with each other, both trying to catch their breaths from the sudden rush.

Syaoran couldn't help but laugh at the situation that had just occurred. You really are crazy!"

Sakura opened her mouth to defend herself but stopped before even a single word could leave her lips. There really wasn't anything she could say to defend her actions. It took Sakura a few seconds before she'd realized the hilarity of the situation and joined in with his laughter, "I guess I am."

"I mean, seriously, you're the only person I know who can act so quickly just after waking up!" Syaoran continued.

Sakura nodded in agreement, tears now forming in her eyes from her fits of laughter. "You try living with my brother!"

"I'll pass." He answered, holding his hand up in decline and making his way towards the linen closet to grab towels to clean up their mess.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

"I'm really sorry about messing up your couch." Sakura said through the darkness.

Syoaran exhaled, "You've said that at least 3 times already."

"I know, I just feel really bad about it." There was movement on the other side of the bed. Syaoran could picture Sakura turning over to face him. They managed to dry the floor but the couch was a different story. After a little persuasion and a lot of force, Syaoran agreed to share the bed with her for the night until his couch dried.

"So…you have how many sisters?" Sakura spoke up again.

Syaoran scoffed, "What great bed time conversation."

A couple of seconds passed before he felt a kick from his companion. "You're a violent person, you know that?" he mumbled, moving his body closer to the edge of the bed and out of her reach.

"I'm trying here! I'm not tired yet and talking puts me to sleep sometimes…" Sakura said with uncertainty. Really, she was completely overcome by her nerves and was racking her brain for anything to keep from being too quiet.

"I realized that after you fell asleep on me during Spring Break." Syaoran laughed quietly.

He heard a yawn from the other half of the bed and the bed shift again. Was she moving closer?

"4," he said quickly.

"What?" Sakura asked, confused.

"I have four sisters. I'm the youngest." Syaoran continued.

There was a silence before she answered, "Wow…that's kind of crazy. It's always just been my brother and me so I couldn't really imagine that. Life with two more Touya's would just be unbearable." Her laughter was hushed. "Your mom must've have been excited about having all of those girls in the family."

Syaoran turned flat on his back and stared at the ceiling, "I guess. My sisters are nothing like my mother though. For older sister they're the most childlike people I know. If anything your mom is lucky to only have to deal with one girl. Make sure to tell her that next time you go home."

There was an even longer gap in between their responses, "Heh, yeah, definitely." She said barely above a whisper.

The silence returned once again and Syaoran turned his body to face her direction. The curtain on his window was closed tightly, allowing for minimal light from the moon to enter. He could just barely make out the lump under the covers that was Sakura. He listened and heard the sound of her steady breathing, the covers rising and falling with the same rhythm.

"Sakura?" he called out quietly. Other than a small movement, she didn't respond. He smiled through the darkness at how fast she'd fallen asleep and he exhaled.

"I'm going to see Meiling in the morning," he started. He paused to see if there would be any response from her and continued when there wasn't.

"I'm not entirely too sure about what I'll say to her," he let out a small laugh, "I figure whatever I wan-…whatever I need to say to her will just sort of come to me."

Sakura stirred. A few minutes passed by before he took another deep breath, "It's not fair to either of you. It's especially not fair to Meiling because she's been in the dark about everything. But I want to make it right." He paused again.

"I know she'll probably hate me but eventually she'll understand. It'll hurt her but she'll feel better knowing that I told her now instead of letting it drag on."

"If you're awake and you're listening right now, you'll probably laugh. But…when I told you I'd wait for you I meant it. Whatever reason you came here for, whatever you're still trying to let go of—I'll be here."

He held his breath, waiting for her laughter to pierce through the quiet air. He waited for her to tell him how silly and corny he sounded but it never came.

Releasing the breath he'd been holding, he turned away from her direction and faced the other side of the room.

"Sweet dreams, Sakura." He whispered before allowing himself to drift off to sleep.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Syaoran dressed himself as quickly and quietly as possible as to not wake the sleeping girl that lay sprawled in the bed. It was almost a mission to free his arm from her grasp. He couldn't understand how she'd managed to find and attach herself to it in the first place but it seemed to be her favorite 'pillow'.

He looked over at the clock on his nightstand. It was almost 10 but he'd already texted Meiling telling her that he'd be a little late. Kneeling beside the bed, he brushed a strand of her auburn locks away from Sakura's face. Her cheek followed the path his hand took and he smiled. "I'll be back in a few hours," he whispered quietly, placing a kiss upon her forehead before leaving the room and closing the door behind him.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

"_Is he there yet?"_

Meiling sighed and looked at her watch. It was now a quarter to 11. "Not yet," she responded into her phone.

"_If Takato was ever late like Syaoran, I swear I-"_

"Hold on Em's I think he's here." Meiling watched as Syaoran walked through the door of the café and looked around for Meiling. She reached her hand in the air and he made his way towards her.

"Gotta go, Emi. I'll text you when you can come by. Have fun shopping!" Meiling said quickly into the receiver and hung up before her friend could respond.

"Hi there!" she rose and greeted him with a hug.

Syaoran returned the gesture, "Hey stranger."

Meiling sat down and motioned for him to take the seat across from her. The waitress came over and took their orders before they continued with their pleasantries. Syaoran ordered two chocolate chip muffins, "To start." He'd said to the waitress. Depending on how things went, he would order more.

"So, you look taller." Meiling joked, resting her chin in the palm of her hand

Syaoran smiled briefly, "It's all the sleep I've been getting. I hear the more you sleep the more you grow."

Meiling laughed pleasantly at his joke, "If you say so. How have you been? I feel like we haven't really hung out in a while."

The waitress returned with their drinks. Syaoran took a sip from his water before answering, "Yeah, work and school have been a pain. So much for a simple senior semester, right?" he rubbed the back of his head nervously. In all honesty, his classes weren't troubling him at all.

"Yeah, I can agree with you on that one. We _would _be the two students who took demanding courses in their final semesters." She laughed and took a sip from her water as the waitress brought their muffins.

"So…" they both started at the same time.

Syaoran smiled meekly, "You first." He gestured.

Meiling took another sip from her water before taking a deep breath, "So I wanted to talk about, you know…you and me…" she said shyly, tugging at the tablecloth.

"Me too." Syaoran looked out the window, his nerves taking hold.

"Really?" Meiling asked almost a little too excitedly. He simply nodded but kept his eyes outside.

Meiling let out a sigh of relief, "Oh good. I thought I was the only one thinking about it this whole time."

"Yeah…" was the only response he could think of. So much for things just 'coming to him'.

"So I was thinking we could figure something out soon…I mean, I know we haven't seen much of each other since you've gotten back from spring break but I don't think things have changed too much. I think we could definitely make up for it and we can go to the movies and dinn—"

"Things…_have_ changed, Meiling." He was just as surprised by the words that left his mouth as she appeared to be.

Their eyes met briefly and she looked away, "What do you mean?" she asked, barely above a whisper.

Syaoran exhaled before continuing, "It means that…I don't think I feel the same way anymore."

There was silence as Meiling took in his words, "I don't…I just don't get how. What happened? Did I do something wrong? I should've been there more, I…" She took a deep breath, a knot forming in her throat.

"Meiling it's not you, I…" he was about to reach out his hand to comfort her but retracted it slowly. "I've met someone new..." he finished quietly.

He watched her intently. Her eyes remained low. When she finally looked up at him, they were filled with tears. Sadness, anger, he couldn't really tell but it nearly broke him to see her this way. He never wanted to be the one to break her down. She was one of the strongest girls he'd ever known and to see her in tears was something that just didn't seem plausible.

"I don't…" she started. He looked back outside. "I don't understand what Sakura has that I don't. I've known you longer, I just—I tried so hard."

Syaoran's heart sank with every word but one in particular caught his attention. He eyed her curiously, "What did you just say?"

"What?" she asked, looking away.

"Sakura. You said her name. How do you…" his voice trailed off as the answer to the question he was about to ask came to him.

"You took it didn't you?" his voice was low.

She refused to look at him and continued to stare out the window.

"Meiling, did you take the bracelet that was on my dresser when you came to see me yesterday?" his voice rose.

Her eyes lowered to the purse that lay on the table next to her. She slowly reached out and retrieved the small item from the pocket within and placed it on the table between them.

Syaoran reached out slowly and picked it up, looking it over before standing from his chair.

"Where are you going?" Meiling nearly yelled as he retrieved some money from his pocket.

He didn't bother to even look at her as he placed the bills on the table, "We're done here, Meiling. I don't have anything left to say to you." He turned on his heel and made his way towards the exit, Meiling right behind him.

"I'm sorry, Syaoran! I was just confused and…I didn't know what was going on or…"

Syaoran stopped short but kept his back to her. She stopped what she was saying mid sentence and listened to him attentively.

"Meiling, I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner." He said quietly, gripping the bracelet tighter.

"And I hope one day we can forgive each other for all of this." He finished before walking across the street towards the parking lot, leaving Meiling by herself.

"Where's he going in such a hurry? You didn't call me so I figured I'd just surprise you guys!" Emi said cheerfully as she approached Meiling.

"Meiling?" Emi took notice of the somber expression upon her friend's tear-stained face.

Meiling turned to look at Emi before falling to her knees, sobs rocking her tiny frame. "Meiling…what's wrong?" Emi dropped her bags and knelt down, embracing the raven-haried girl.

"He—" Meiling started in between sobs. "He's in love with someone else." She managed to say, her sobs increasing more and more. Emi soothingly rubbed her back and told her that everything would be ok. What else could she say in a situation like this? It was the most important thing that Meiling needed to hear right now, despite the odds of it being a lie.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

It was windy as Sakura made her way up the small hill. The light pink flowers that she held in her hands were a bright contrast compared to the overcast sky above. She came to a stop and knelt down, placing the flowers at the tombstone where an old cherry blossom lay. She dusted the fallen petals away and smiled.

"You'll have to remind me to thank Touya later." She breathed out as she stood up form the ground. A gust of wind brushed past her and she tucked a few lose strands behind her ear.

"I know it's been forever, I'm sorry. I just didn't know when the right time would be to come visit. & I know you'd be mad at me for overworking myself but…you'll be happy to know that I've actually taken a small vacation!" she laughed softly and pulled her jacket a little tighter as another gust of wind blew by.

She took a seat in front of the tombstone and picked at the grass around it, gathering her thoughts.

"I lost the bracelet you gave me." She paused before continuing.

"Who am I kidding? You already know how forgetful I am so you probably wouldn't be angry with me. I'm sure I'll find it soon."

She took a deep breath and slowly released it. 'I must look like a crazy person,' she thought to herself and smiled. It had been a while since she'd come to visit Hiro's grave but she woke up this morning and it was the only thing she could think of doing. If Syaoran was going to go and work things out with Meiling then…she had to face things with Hiro too.

"It might be a good thing that I've lost it though," she continued picking at the grass. "It's been pretty hard trying to move on when there's a constant reminder of you everywhere I go."

"I mean, not that I don't like thinking about you all the time," she attempted to retract her statement.

Shaking her head she let out a small laugh, "this is a lot harder than I thought it was going to be."

The whistling wind was the only sound for a few more minutes before she started again, "I've been having these terrible nightmares lately. About what happened two years ago." She shivered, not knowing if it was from the cold wind and droplets of water that fell sporadically or from the thought of the dreams that had been haunting her for the last 2 weeks.

"It was like I was there watching it happen only it wasn't you. At first I thought it was a one-time thing—that I would be able to wake up the next morning and forget about it—but it's been happening every single night." She took a minute to compose herself.

"Except last night. Last night was the first night that I was nightmare free. I woke up feeling so refreshed and I honestly thought that something was wrong with me!" she said almost hysterically. "Then I realized that there really wasn't and that for the first time in a week or two…I actually felt OK." The rain continued to fall in small drizzles but she didn't seem to mind.

"I think it's because of him." She said simply with a smile.

"His name is Syaoran. I met him a couple of weeks ago through Tomoyo! He's actually Eriol's cousin. But oh! They're getting married by the way! Can you believe it? …I definitely can't." her voice was drowned out by the sound of thunder and she wearily looked to the sky as more rain clouds rolled in.

"But besides all that, I think I really like him. He reminds me of you in so many ways but at the same time…he's still different." She paused again.

"Tomoyo and I both agree that he looks just like you but I think he's a lot meaner than you!" she exclaimed almost childishly.

"If I'm mean, then she's a monster. She probably didn't tell you how she attacked me when we first met, did she?"

Sakura turned around to see Syaoran standing behind her. He brought the umbrella he was holding over her head as he knelt down to place a bouquet of flowers in front of the tombstone.

"What are you doing here? I didn't think you'd—"

"I called Tomoyo after I saw your message when I got home and she told me I'd probably be able to find you here." He sat down next to her, still holding the umbrella above the both of them.

"How did you get over here, anyways? Your car was still at the apartment." Syaoran asked, adjusting himself on the ground to sit more comfortably.

Sakura looked away shyly, "I took the bus, actually. I didn't really feel up to driving…but I needed to come."

Syaoran nodded understandingly and looked back at the grave. He was going to ask her why she didn't just wait for him to get home but realized that this was something she needed to do on her own. He read over the tombstone slowly and suddenly felt like he was intruding. The plan seemed like a good idea in his mind but now he wasn't so sure. Would she be mad that he showed up during such a personal moment?

"Thank you for coming." Sakura said quietly. 'Well that answers my question' he thought to himself.

She moved closer to him and encircled her arm through his, leaning on his shoulder.

Closing her eyes she breathed deeply before exhaling slowly. It was too soon to tell but she finally felt at peace.

"So how did things with Meiling go this morning?" she asked.

Syaoran opened his mouth to answer but was cut off by the loud clap of thunder overhead.

As if to exemplify his answer, the heavens above opened up and sheets of rain cascaded down.

"Sort've…like that." He said over the noise with a smug smile, motioning to the storm raging above them.

Standing, he held his hand out to her and pulled her to her feet. She stared down at the grave below with a timid smile,

"I'm ready to go." She said quietly, turning back to Syaoran. Her eyes were glistening but she took a deep breath and nodded affirmatively. "I'm ready."

Sakura grabbed Syaoran's hand and pulled him along over the hill, making their way towards the parking lot. Syaoran fell into stride with her and pulled her closer to him as to shield her from the weather.

While fishing through his pockets for his keys, the bracelet fell to the ground. Sakura reached down and picked it up, looking up at Syaoran with curious eyes.

"Where did you…?"

"It's a long story...I found it before I came over." He said, sorting through his key ring for his car key, avoiding any eye contact with her.

She nodded slowly and stood tentatively for a moment, "Hold on! I'll be right back." She dashed away back through the parking lot towards the hill before Syaoran even had a chance to interject.

Syaoran watched her disappear in the distance as the rain began to fall even harder. A couple of minutes later, Sakura came bounding back over the hill and he ran to meet her halfway.

"It's a little too late for that." She commented as he held the umbrella over her head and they walked together back to the car. Syaoran hugged her shivering frame close to him as they neared the car and opened the passenger door quickly for her before getting into the driver's side himself.

"I was thinking we could probably stop by my parents house to wait out this storm. It's not too far from here and I don't think my dad would mind." She buckled herself in and turned to face him, waiting for a response.

Syaoran look at her quizzically before he shrugged, "That's fine with me. Just put the address in here. " He handed his phone to her and started the car.

"So did you forget something back there?" Syaoran asked lowering the music from the radio.

Sakura shook her head in decline, "No. I just left it."

He looked at her quizzically, "Left what?"

"The bracelet. I don't need it anymore." She replied simply.

He turned his attention back to the road, side glancing at her "Are you sure about this?"

Sakura peaked one eye open and smiled, "Trust me, I'm sure."

"If you say so." He murmured with a shrug.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

The engine shut off as Syaoran pulled parked the car in front of the house. Quietly he got out the car and opened the umbrella before walking over to the passenger side to let Sakura out.

She'd fallen asleep in a matter of minutes after they'd started driving. Syaoran assumed it was a mixture of the rain and the emotion's she'd put herself through all day.

"Sakura," he pushed her shoulder gently. She turned over in the chair, her back now facing him.

Syaoran laughed and sat the umbrella down and reached over to unbuckle her before sliding his arms around her to lift her out of the car.

"Up you go." He said quietly.

"What—are we here?" She mumbled, wrapping her arms around his neck and snuggling deeper into his chest as to avoid the water droplets.

Syaoran closed the car door and stood with her in the rain. "Yeah… but would you mind if I put you down so I can grab the umbrella?" he asked her. With a nod of her head, he placed her down on her feet and she groggily held onto his arm for support.

He picked up the umbrella from the floor and held it over them as he began walking towards the front door.

"Syaoran?"

"Hm?" He turned to face the girl beside him.

It was as though time stopped or even slowed to just a fraction as Sakura took hold of his shoulders and stepped up into a tippy toe, capturing his lips with her own a warm, gentle kiss.

A few seconds passed and the umbrella fell to the floor as he wrapped his arms around her, his senses heightened no longer to the cold rain, but to the warmth that seemed to surround the both of them in this moment.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Like always, thank you for reading and reviewing and for your thoughts and opinions and questions! No promises for an early update but Ch.13 is in the works. (Thanks for not hating me and my underestimating the amount of time it takes to update ^_^)<br>Anyone else notice my slipup betweein "Meilin" & "Meiling"? Whatevs. I'm too lazy to go back and fix it.  
><strong>

**Always, **

**Synea K.**


	13. Home

Authors Note:

**Happy Anniversary "Breaking Free"!**

A year ago today this random storyline came to me, I put my first story on hiatus & decided to just go with it. I'm so, so very happy that I did. I'm also very happy I was able to update again. (I think I beat my old record with updating!) I've really enjoyed being on this site and writing and reading all of your reviews & interacting with all of you! I have so many other awesome stories floating around in my head and I hope to be able to write them one day to share with all of you. ^_^.

I just wanted to make something clear though from the transition between Chapter 11 and 12:  
><strong>At the end of Chapter 11, Syaoran was in fact talking to FeiMei. I only made it seem like he'd called Meiling to try to trick you guys and add a little suspense. (Which I think worked for some people and didn't for others after reading comments for both chapters!) FeiMei explains in Chapter 12 that she'd hung up the phone because she thought one of her sisters was coming into the room and she didn't want them to bother Syaoran about everything that had been going on.<strong>

If I happen to slip up somewhere, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE let me know. It's becoming so much harder to keep track of everything since my updates take so long but I'm trying my best! I love when people message me anyway.

**Littlepuppylost**: Yes…there will definitely be more twists ^_^  
><strong>Aizawa Li Syaoran Vessalius<strong>: I hadn't really thought much about when the story would end but if all goes as planned…I think there will be between 4 & 5 more chapters. (It scares me to think about it!)

**Shout out to** **Undane-Haizea** for being so awesome!

OH! …and thank you everyone for the birthday wishes form Chapter 11's reviews! I wasn't able to respond to all of them but I just wanted to acknowledge that I really appreciated them!

I was gonna post this last night but I got caught up in watching my roommates beat Halo 4.  
>This chapter definitely isn't as long as the others (though I realized that the first few chapters were SUPER short compared to the later ones) but I just wanted to give all of the characters a small break from everything before all of the hooplah that's about to begin.<p>

Enjoy!

* * *

><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong>  
><strong>I do not own any of these characters - CLAMP has that right. [I do own this plot though &amp; a couple extra people in there ^_^]<strong>

_Summary:_  
><em>Syaoran has been living a pretty comfortable life until a girl he meets during a Spring Break road trip shows up on his doorstep a week later, turning his comfortable world upside down.<em>

* * *

><p>Chapter 13: Home<p>

"You know what I realized after I woke up?" Sakura asked, looking over at Syaoran.

The two walked hand in hand up the driveway of her father's house, the rain now slowed to a drizzle.

Syaoran squeezed her hand tighter and raised an eyebrow, "How much you missed me?" He teased.

Sakura used her free hand to hide her laughter, "Oh hush. I realized that we could've just flipped the cushions over on the couch."

Syaoran thought for a moment and smirked as they approached the front door, "Yeah, but then we wouldn't have slept together." He said while wiggling his eyebrows.

Sakura released his hand and punched him in the arm as hard as she could, "Don't twist situations like that, you perv. That's strike one!" Her cheeks flushed red.

"No, go ahead, let him continue with these inappropriate comments. It'll give me even more reason to kick the—

"Touya!?"

Sakura yelled simultaneously with the person that reached out to restrained Sakura's older brother just before he could grab the unsuspecting Syaoran.

Syaoran quickly leapt up onto the front porch and away from harm. "The hell? Sakura who the hell is he?"

"It's none of my concern who I am and I could care less about who you are just as long as you stay away from her!" Touya snapped back.

"Touya!" Sakura protested again.

Touya glared at his sister, "Stay out of this, squirt!"

"It's nice to see you, Sakura." Yukito smiled, still attempting to restrain his friend.

Sakura skipped over to Yukito and greeted him with a light hug, "I told you that you'd see more of me!" she grinned before turning to her brother and stomping hard on his foot.

"It's good to see you too, Touya."

Touya massaged his foot, "Oh yeah, that's right. I almost forgot that you've evolved into a little monster. You're feet sure are the size of one."

"Alrighty, then, let's keep moving." Syaoran intervened, pulling Sakura away after seeing the murderous look in her eye.

Sakura pulled out her key ring from her purse and fumbled to find the right one while Syaoran stood behind her, his hands resting on her shoulders, as he peered back at Touya and Yukito who were having a heated discussion.

The door opened before she could find the right key and a smiling Fujitaka greeted them.

"I thought I heard your voice, Sakura! What are you doing here?" Sakura reached up and hugged her father, squeezing him tightly.

"I was just in the neighborhood and decided to drop by!" she said nervously.

"Oh?" Fujitaka looked down into his glasses that sat on the bridge of his nose, "and who's this?"

Syaoran was face to face with Sakura's father as she took a step to the side to let them meet.

"He's my uh…" she looked down for the right word that would describe what Syaoran was to her. Sure, he was a friend but obviously he was much more than that but they weren't really dating so…

"Syaoran. It's an honor to meet you sir, I'm her boyfriend."

"Her what?!" Sakura, Touya & Yukito exclaimed in unison.

Through the evident surprise on his face, Fujitaka smiled and held out his hand to shake Syaoran's but Sakura pulled him off to the side before he had a chance to shake her fathers hand.

"My _boyfriend_?! she whispered angrily.

Touya had finally freed himself from Yukito and grabbed hold of Sakura's arm, pulling her back down the steps of the porch. "Touya, stop! I'm not done!" she didn't finish the rest of her thoughts as he pulled her around the corner and stopped in front of the next door neighbors large bushes. Sakura quickly peaked around the corner to see Syaoran, her father and Yukito watching after them before Touya pulled her back towards him.

"Talk."

There was a fire in Touya's eyes that she couldn't bear to look at. She hadn't seen him this upset since he'd confronted her a year ago about how much she'd changed since Hiro's death. She took a minute to sort through her thoughts for where she should begin.

"He's not my boyfriend." She started.

"So the brat is lying? How long have you even known this guy anyways? You've never mentioned him before." Touya replied instantly.

"No, he's not lying! & He's Eriol's cousin. I met him during the spring break trip we all took. I mean, he's not my boyfriend but he's not just my friend either. All of this just kind of happened and I'm just trying to figure it all out, ok?

Touya held his head in his hands, "Yeah, all of that was definitely clear from the make out session you two had just a few minutes ago." He mumbled.

Sakura looked up at him, her face red from complete embarrassment. "You saw that?! Agh, I'm so sorry, Touya." He shook his head and sighed, "You should be. I hope I never have to see that again."

"Well no one told you to watch." She teased.

Touya shook the image from his head, "Whatever. So, back to this kid, I just saw you a few weeks ago and now you just happen to be 'in the neighborhood' with your…whatever friend. You're not pregnant are you?!"

Sakura gasped in disbelief and shut her eyes tightly, "No, no, no, no no…and no!" she said in horror.

"Geez Touya I'm not that crazy!" she exclaimed. "I don't even want to think about that right now."

Touya smirked, "Good. Keep it that way."

He leaned against the fence with his hands in his pockets and gave a sigh of relief while Sakura knelt to the floor, her back against the gate behind them. She knew that was the only thing Touya really wanted to know and laughed to herself. She couldn't even begin to think about how much crazier her life would be if she was pregnant. She still felt like a child herself, she definitely couldn't take care of one. Sakura was lost in her thoughts until Touya lightly tapped her with his shoe. She looked up at him with a quizzical look.

"Did you say something?" she asked.

Touya nodded, "Yeah, I was asking you why you're in town. It's kind of hard to just be 'in the neighborhood' when your school is 3 hours away."

"Well…" she stood and dusted herself off and mimicked her brother by leaning back against the fence.

"I went to pay Hiro a visit this morning."

Touya peered down at his little sister with a look of bewilderment on his face that softened into understanding.

"I'd waited way too long…it was something I needed to do." She continued.

There was no way he could fully understand how his little sister was feeling but he could definitely be there for her when she needed someone.

He sighed and stood up straight, "You must really like this kid."

With the silence that followed he knew that he was right. Wrapping an arm around her, he tugged her off the gate and pulled her into a hug.

"Just be careful, ok?" He rubbed her back soothingly and Sakura breathed in deeply with a smile. "I'm really happy you're home."

Sakura smiled sadly. She'd put her family and friends through so much in the last two years but now was her chance to change that. She brought her arms around him and hugged him back, making a mental promise to herself, "Me too." She replied quietly.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x

"So your brother seems to really like me." Syaoran said sarcastically as Sakura gave him a tour of her family's home after better introductions were made.

Touya had actually had the decency to shake Syaoran's hand—even though he'd tried to break—and of course Yukito and Fujitaka were more than welcoming of him.

She hid her smile behind her hand as they walked up the stairs, "You had it coming! & Really, Syaoran…_my boyfriend_?"

Syaoran shrugged, "What? It seemed like the most fitting word to me!" He defended himself.

"Well what would you have called me?" he asked when Sakura didn't respond.

She stopped and thought for a moment, "I don't know! You're my…you're just my Syaoran." She finally said and turned back around.

"_Your_ Syaoran? You've been very possessive lately."

Sakura ignored his last comment and continued up the stairs, "and THIS, is the wall of shame." She gestured to the wall in front of them. As they reached the top of the stairs, there was a full wall filled with pictures of family portraits and various candid moments.

Syaoran grinned as he perused through them, kneeling down beside a picture that was taken of Sakura as a naked toddler.

"I don't see why you call it the wall of shame…you obviously don't have any in this one."

Sakura looked down at the picture and forcefully pushed him along, "Strike 2, Syaoran. Strike 2."

"Is this your mom?" he asked, stopping at another picture before she could push him any further.

Sakura stopped beside him and nodded, "Yup! And there I am & Touya and my dad!" she pointed out.

"No way, that's _you?_ I could have sworn that was your brother." the sarcasm in his voice earned him another glare.

Syaoran examined other photo's surrounding that one. "She's very pretty. When will I get a chance to meet her?"

He looked back at Sakura who continued to stare at one of the family portraits. In a matter of an hour, Syaoran had managed to wind his way into the most personal pieces of her life. She was starting to wonder if maybe it was a little too soon for him to fully enter this part of her life.

"Sakura?" Syaoran moved a hand in front of her face, breaking her out of her gaze.

She smiled in return, "Later today." she said while grabbing his hand, leading him away from the 'wall of shame'. If he'd already made it this far in there wasn't really any sense in turning back now.

They walked down the hallway and stopped when reaching the door in the middle.

"Hold on." Sakura said before disappearing into the room.

Syaoran raised an eyebrow as the door slammed in front of him. He could hear Sakura scurrying around the room and opened the door to peek inside, catching a glimpse of her as she kicked something into the closet and slid the door shut.

"I told you to wait!" she exclaimed, nearly out of breath.

Syaoran laughed as he pushed the door open further and entered. "You know I don't like to wait."

Sakura grinned, "Liar. That's not what you said last night." She covered her mouth right after the words left.

He turned to look at her, surprised, "You were awake?!"

Sakura bit her bottom lip to hold back her laughter as she nodded slowly. Syaoran took a seat on the edge of her bed and held his head in his hands. Sakura sat next to him and rubbed his back comfortingly, "I'm sorry! I wasn't going to tell you but it just slipped out and…I didn't hear everything! I was awake during the last part though and at least I didn't laugh!" she apologized. Leaning over she planted a kiss on his cheek, "It was sweet."

Syaoran gave no indication that he'd heard her or accepted her gesture as an apology, other than another shake of his head. He sighed and told himself to let it go. There was no sense in being embarrassed about it now.

"It's very pink in here." He commented.

"Well I think it has way more personality than your boring old room."

"I was just going to say that it suits you, jerk." He nudged her with his shoulder with a smile.

She looked over at him skeptically but smiled back, "Well then, thank you."

He scanned the rest of the room. There wasn't a lot left on the walls. A lot of her things were stacked in boxes and it looked as though they used the room for temporary storage.

Syaoran's gaze fell on the little stuffed animal that sat on the dresser in front of them. "What's _that_ thing?" he reached forward and picked up the little stuff toy, pulling the white wings out from the body as if he were trying to tear it apart.

Sakura grabbed it from him and held it to her, "_His_ name is Kero and he's not a _thing_."

"O…kay." Syaoran arched an eyebrow and brought his attention back to the picture that was next to Kero on the dresser.

Sakura reached over and picked it up wiping off the thin layer of dust.

"This was taken before we started dating. I think we were celebrating our third "Friend-i-versary"

Syaoran gave her a quizzical look and looked back down at the photo, "That's really scary."

Sakura looked over at Syaoran whose eyes were fixed on the picture, "Are you saying that 'friend-i-versary's' are scary? Because I think they're a great way to celebrate a friendship. " She cheered.

Syaoran took the picture from her and brought it closer to his face as though he was examining it.

"That sounds kind of cheesy, actually. But that's not what I'm talking about right now. We _do_ look alike."

Sakura removed the picture from his hands and held it next to his face, "Yeah…now that I can see the both of you next to each other you look more alike than I thought."

"I guess you could say I have a certain type." She laughed timidly. Oddly enough, she really didn't feel too uncomfortable talking about Hiro with Syaoran. If anything, she didn't feel a thing at all.

Syaoran nodded and laughed as well, "Looks to be that way. I think we're some good looking' guys." He said with a wide, childish grin.

"You're so vain." She laughed, placing the portrait back on the dresser and returning Kero to his spot next to it. Her hand lingered on it for a moment before she pulled it away. This was just another step to letting everything go and to being happy again. She smiled faintly at the picture.

"We should probably head back downstairs before Touya thinks we're up to no good." He said, rising from the bed.

"So what happens in this room stays here. Which means that you can't mention anything to Eriol and Tomoyo about what I said last night, ok? I don't need them thinking I've become some super mush ball." Syaoran reached into a stretch.

"You're still thinking about that?" Sakura laughed. "Fine. I won't say a thing."

"You don't have to Sakura. So, what's that about you being a super mush ball, Syaoran? Inquiring minds would really like to know."

Tomoyo stood in the doorway grinning with her camera fixed on the brunette couple. Sakura bolted from the bed and the room was engulfed in a fit of squeals. Syaoran covered his ears in pain. "You girls are ridiculous."

Sakura shooed him away as he made his way past them and down the stairs where he knew he'd find Eriol.

"What are you doing here?" Sakura asked excitedly.

"Well, when Syaoran called asking where you were, Eriol and I decided to drive over. We had a feeling you'd end up here since you were already in town and we figured we could stop by and see my mom too." Tomoyo explained. "But tell me," she started, walking over to the door and closing it. She placed her camcorder on the dresser and sat down on the bed. "What's been going on? You haven't really called me to update me on anything!"

Sakura walked to the other side of her room and opened the shades, letting some natural light fall into the room.

"Hm, I've been staying at Syaoran's for a few days now and—"

"What?! I didn't think you would actually take my advice! I was only joking!" Tomoyo exclaimed

Sakura held her hand up to calm her cousin down, "I know, I know! I didn't think I would either but I didn't have any other ideas so I just went with it."

"So what? You just showed up on his doorstep and said 'Hey! This may sound crazy but can I stay with you until I figure out what's wrong with me?'" Tomoyo asked jokingly.

Sakura laughed and nodded, "Pretty much. I mean not those exact words but, yeah." She lay down next to her friend and placed her hands behind her head.

"You really are crazy, you know that?" Tomoyo laughed, poking Sakura in the stomach, causing her to jump up from her spot.

Sakura swatted her finger away and shrugged, "That's what we've been realizing lately!" she laughed.

"Let's go downstairs, I want to see Eriol!" Sakura grabbed Tomoyo's hand and pulled her towards the bedroom door. Tomoyo quickly snatched her camera from the dresser before being dragged out of the rom.

Syaoran spotted Eriol at the foot of the steps, "Our girlfriends are attempting to puncture my eardrums again."

"I could imagine…wait, Girlfriends? As in plural?" Eriol asked and greeted Syaoran.

"Yes, Syaoran? What is this plural you speak of?" Sakura asked slyly from the top step.

"And I am no longer just a girlfriend, mister. I'm a _fiancé_." Tomoyo added in, stressing her last word and holding her ring finger up.

Syaoran rolled his eyes, "I'm sorry. Let me try this again: Your 'fiancé', Eriol, and my…"

He stopped and looked up at Sakura, " '_My Sakura'_ as she'd probably like me to put it, nearly caused me to go deaf."

"_Your_ Sakura?" Eriol and Tomoyo asked in unison, looking between the two.

Syaoran held his hands up, "Don't look at me. That's what she wants it to be." He nodded his head towards Sakura and she returned his gesture by sticking her tongue out.

"I guess we've missed out on a lot." Tomoyo giggled. Eriol nodded in agreement as the 4 made their way into the living room.

"Oh great, now that the little monster has come back into town, all of her friends have as well." Touya droned from the sofa in the living room.

Sakura stuck her tongue out at her brother and led her friends to the patio area, "Let's sit outside and catch up. We don't want to disturb the old fart-face and Yukito." She quickly shut the door behind her and her friends before Touya could respond.

"How's life been, you two? & How's the wedding planning going?" Sakura asked as the 4 of them took seats around one of the patio tables.

Tomoyo turned to Syaoran with an inquisitive look, "So, Syaoran, when did you ask out my dear cousin?"

"…Or we can just ignore my questions and ask more embarrassing ones." Sakura mumbled, hiding her face behind her hands.

Eriol gave her a pat on the shoulder, "Better to deal with it now than later." He consoled her.

Syaoran looked over at Sakura who was still hiding herself and realized that he would have to answer this by himself. He cleared his throat to begin the explanation but was cut off by Sakura.

"He didn't. We're not dating. We're figuring it out and we're going to leave it at that. Now! On to something other topic." Sakura said quickly. Tomoyo squinted her eyes and her cousin as Sakura refused to break eye contact with her, to stress the seriousness.

A staring match ensued between the two girls. Tomoyo blinked quickly and Sakura shot her hand in the air in victory. "I win! Next topic."

Tomoyo crossed her arms and pouted, "Fine! But you have to promise to talk to me about it later."

"Deal." Sakura agreed, shaking Tomoyo's hand.

Syaoran and Eriol both looked confused, "What just happened?" Syaoran asked.

Eriol shook his head and shrugged, "Beats me."

"Well since I can't talk about your love life, I'd like to at least discuss your birthday festivities." Tomoyo continued.

"When's your birthday?" Syaoran asked Sakura who was busy rolling her eyes.

Tomoyo shot him a disappointed look, "April 1st. You don't even know her birthday?"

"No one ever told me!" Syaoran looked at Eriol for support but received none. "I can't help you there." He then looked to Sakura who also had a disappointed look upon her face.

"Strike 3?" Syaoran asked and she responded with a slow nod.

Attention turned back to Tomoyo, "Now back to what I was saying. Will you still be at Syaoran's or back at your school?"

Sakura let out a frustrated sigh, "Tomoyo, you know how much I dislike my birthday."

Tomoyo frowned again, "You haven't had a birthday party in 2 years. You used to love them!"

"Yeah, but that was before everything changed." Sakura replied shortly.

The table became quiet and Tomoyo gave a defeated sigh. "Just think about it. Pretty please?" she pleaded.

Everyone's attention was brought to the sliding glass door as Fujitaka walked outside.

"It's so great to see all of you but I'm afraid I have to head out. They need my help setting up an exhibit at the University that's supposed to display tomorrow." He smiled down at all of them.

Sakura rose and gave her father a hug, "Thanks, Dad. I love you." The rest of the table stood from their seats and bid him farewell.

"Don't forget to stop by and see your mother before you leave, Sakura. I bought some fresh flowers you can take her." He said, taking a step back towards the house.

Sakura nodded with a smile, "I'll tell her you love her!" She replied.

Fujitaka smiled and turned to Syaoran, "It was nice meeting you. Have a safe drive back."

Syaoran nodded and held out his hand, "I will and It was nice to meet you too, sir." Sakura's father waved to the others and walked back inside the house.

"We should probably get going soon too," Syaoarn stated, looking at the clock on his phone. It was almost 4.

"But we just got here!" Tomoyo interjected.

Eriol gave his fiancé a kiss on the cheek, "Syaoran's right though. We all have long drives back and you and I still need to stop by your moms place before we head out again."

Yet again defeated, Tomoyo followed the others back inside the house to get ready to leave.

x-x-x-x-x-x

"We'll see you in a couple of weeks for your birthday, right Sakura? Tomoyo called form the passenger seat of the car.

"I'll think about it!" Sakura responded.

Syaoran and Sakura both waved back Eriol and Tomoyo pulled out of the driveway.

"You guys should head out now too if you're going to see mom before you leave town. I don't want you to be on the road too late." Touya walked with his sister and Syaoran to the car.

"Here," he said handing Sakura the bouquet of flowers his father had left out. "Tell mom I love her."

Sakura embraced Touya, "I love you. Thanks for being such an awesome big brother."

He slowly brought his arms around her and returned her hug. "I love you too, Sakura. Guess you can't be my little sister forever." He said under his breath. Sakura kicked him lightly in the shin and grinned as he pulled away from her, "That's impossible." She smiled.

Touya smirked and tapped her nose before stepping away, "You're right."

"It was really nice meeting you, Syaoran." Yukito smiled and held out his hand for Syaoran to shake.

Touya walked over to the two and stood in front of Syaoran. He was a good 3 inches taller than him as he looked down on the chestnut haired boy.

"Take care of her." Touya held out his hand to Syaoran who in turn shook it. "You don't have to tell me twice." He said with a curt nod.

Sakura said her goodbyes to Yukito and took her seat in the car. Syaoran took his spot in the drivers seat and started the car, "So where's your mom?"

She waved one last time at her brother and Yukito and turned her attention back to Syaoran. "Just follow my directions. It's not too far." She responded as they pulled away from their house and out onto the main road.

They sat comfortably in silence as they drove with the occasional direction from Sakura.

"Are we meeting her at work or something?"

Sakura simply smiled and remained silent as they soon pulled into a familiar parking lot. The situation finally dawned on Syaoran and he suddenly felt horrible about all of the times he'd mentioned her mother. "Sakura, I'm sorry I didn't realize…"

Sakura held a finger to his lips, quieting him, and got out the car as they came to a stop. She reached for his hand and led him over the same small hill they'd passed over earlier that day.

Walking further to the right, Sakura stopped in front of a beautiful, elegant grave marker. She took a seat in front of it and patted the spot next to her, indicating for Syaoran to sit.

"Syaoran, meet my mom, Nadeshiko. Mom, this is Syaoran. He told me to tell you how lucky you are for only having one daughter!" She laughed. Syaoran looked at Sakura in shock, "I—that was before." Sakura shook her head and laughed again, "It's ok," she whispered behind her hand with a wink as if keeping a secret.

Sakura nudged him with her shoulder. "There's no winning with her is there?" Syaoran whispered behind his own hand towards Nadeshiko's grave while nodding his head in Sakura's direction.

He straightened himself up and smiled, "She got it all wrong though. What I really said was how lucky you are to have such a wonderful daughter and I'm very happy to have met her." Syaoran looked at Sakura out of the corner of his eye with a wink and smiled.

Sakura's eyes softened and she watched as he closed his eyes to say a prayer. She turned back to her mother's grave and did the same.

"It was a pleasure meeting you." Syaoran said as they stood from their spots. The sun was beginning to lower and they needed to get back on the road before it got too dark.

"We'll be back again soon, mom. I love you. Dad and Touya say they love you too." Sakura said, blowing a kiss.  
>She turned back to Syaoran, "Ready?"<p>

He nodded, wrapping his arm around her shoulder and walking with her back to the car.

Sakura slept soundly in the passenger seat as he drove and he didn't bother trying to keep her awake like she'd asked. They weren't too far from his apartment and he'd been pretty occupied with his thoughts during the entire two-hour drive.

Sure, they'd finally figured out their feelings for each other—at least he hoped everything was settled. But he still didn't know exactly where that placed them and where they would go from there. He ran his hands through his hair and laughed quietly to himself. He had a horrible habit of overanalyzing everything that he needed to break.

"I'm not sleeping, I promise. Just resting my eyes." Sakura murmured from the seat next to him. Her hand searched for his and he slid his fingers between hers, intertwining them.

"We're almost home." He said through the darkness, keeping his eyes to the road with a smile.  
>There was no sense in worrying about the unknown when the only thing—the only person he needed to put all of his energy into was sleeping quietly and peacefully in the passenger seat beside him.<p>

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><p><strong>AN:<br>**Random tidbits:

-When I first thought about Hiro's character, I couldn't really put a real face to him other than the fact that he looks like Syaoran. Last week I finished watching Code Geass and realized that I wanted Hiro to look sort of like Suzaku…only with amber eyes, of course. So that's how I see him now.  
>-Every time I write a part about Meiling I listen to Colbie Calliat's "I Won't. I think it describe everything she's feeling so perfectly.<p>

But anyways...

I'm sorting through the order of events in the next few chapters so, it'll take me a little bit to get another update up but trust that I'm working on it & it's going to be crazy! I'm excited and sad and afraid to see this story end soon so I want to make sure I get all of the ideas I can in before I finish it & regret anything! I'm thinking maybe 4 more chapters (maybe 5 depending on the amount of details I put into it).

Thank you all again for your support and reviews and just for reading! ^_^

Always,

Synea K.


	14. Surprise, Surprise

**AN: My computer crashed a couple of months ago and I nearly lost the first 9 pages of this chapter. If it wasn't for my awesome brother & his magical ways, I honestly wouldn't have been able to write for a while (mainly because I would've been too frustrated to try to rewrite everything). But anyways! I ended up cutting this chapter in half (I mean, it's already 12 pages though) and saving the other part for the next update! For 3 months, this chapter was titled "Uninvited" until I decided to change it this morning. Either way, both titles work.  
><strong>**And I loooove Ed Sheeran's music...which was my soundtrack for writing this chapter. Yup. No particular ties to any songs though. ****  
><strong>

**Meh. I don't feel like editing the format right now. It's a beautiful day outside and I've been cooped up in my room for 2 days sooooo I'm just posting it as is. **

'**nuff rambling! **

**Enjoy!**

**[Edit: Thanks **Aizawa Li Syaoran Vessalius for catching that birthday mistake! :P It's all fixed!]****

* * *

><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong>  
><strong>I do not own any of these characters - CLAMP has that right. [I do own this plot though &amp; a couple extra people in there ^_^]<strong>

_Summary:_  
><em>Syaoran has been living a pretty comfortable life until a girl he meets during a Spring Break road trip shows up on his doorstep a week later, turning his comfortable world upside down.<em>

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 14: Surprise, Surprise<strong>

"No, no. It's perfectly fine! I'm just surprised they left you by yourself to close down the office and you haven't even worked there for more than a couple of weeks!"Sakura held her cell phone between her head and shoulder as she found the right key. She entered the apartment and was greeted by the pleasant aroma of freshly cooked food.  
>"Aw, well I'm happy I could help you out earlier. I can't wait to be back either."<br>Syaoran turned briefly to acknowledge her return with a wave as the oven let out a high-pitched beep, indicating that whatever it was that he was making was now done.

"Ok then. Well you have a good night and I'll see you when I get back!" Sakura ended the call and placed her phone and keys on the counter, looking curiously at the scene inside the kitchen. Syaoran turned off the oven and the burners on the stove, lifting the lids on the pans, wincing as he was wafted with steam from each one.

"This is…unexpected. I'm gone for 30 minutes and you've cooked a full course meal." Sakura said, propping up her elbows and placing her chin in the palm of her hand.

He stopped what he was doing and turned to her with a smirk, "Didn't think I had it in me, did you?"

Sakura smiled in return, "Not at all." She peeled herself from the counter stool and joined him on the other side, retrieving a water bottle from the fridge.

"How was your run?" he asked, leaning back against the counter with his arms folded.

She took a few gulps before giving a satisfied sigh. "It was ok, I tried a different path and thought I'd gotten lost but I figured it out!"

He gave a simple nod and went to grab himself a water bottle.

"So what did you make, anyway?" Sakura asked, making her way towards the stove. Syaoran moved swiftly to stand in front of her, blocking her view.

"It's a surprise." He said quickly.

She took a step back and peered up at him skeptically, "Now, I'm worried. What's the occasion?"

"Nothing really." He mumbled, drinking from his bottle.

Sakura rolled her eyes and took another step closer to try to look over his shoulder but was blocked yet again.

"This wouldn't have anything to do with tomorrow, would it?" there was a hint of a glare in her eyes as she crossed her arms and tapped her foot.

Syaoran shrugged playfully. "Maybe, maybe not. Maybe I just wanted to do something nice for you since you've been teaching me how to cook all week."

"Yeah and my birthday has nothing at all to do with it. That definitely sounds about right." She responded sarcastically. She gave a defeated sigh when he didn't give in to her glare and turned to leave.

"I just wanted to do something nice for you. I still don't understand why you hate your birthday so much."

Sakura was startled at the sudden nearness of him. In the amount of time it took her to take two steps, he'd managed to snake his arms around her waist, brining his chin to rest upon her shoulder. Her heart nearly leapt out of her chest.

It had been a week since they'd returned back to his apartment as…well, she didn't really know what they were. It's not like he'd officially asked her to be his girlfriend but they'd practically been acting like a well-seasoned couple that had been living together for years. He would go to school and work and she would have dinner ready for him when he returned. On a couple of nights, she waited for him so that she could finally give him the cooking lessons she'd promised. He'd mastered the art of baking chicken and sautéing vegetables but was having some trouble with simple things like boiling rice.

"I just do." She said passively, turning herself around to face him. She placed her arms around his neck and leaned her head against his chest.

"But whatever it is that you're making, it smells great." She smiled up at him, changing the subject. He returned her gesture with his own feeble smile, pulling her closer into the embrace. Moments like these were enough. He knew it would take some time for Sakura to be completely honest with him but that was something he'd already began to accept.

"I know my food smells great. But you, on the other hand need a shower." Syaoran mumbled but made no attempt at moving away from her.

Sakura pulled back from him and raised her eyebrows, "You say that so nonchalantly as if you're ok with the smell of my funk."

Syaoran placed a kiss on the tip of her nose and let her go, "Doesn't really bother me too much!" he grinned.

She continued to look at him incredulously as he shrugged.

"You're such a weirdo." She said with a roll of her eyes while leaving the kitchen.

"But you still like me!" he shouted after her.

Syaoran checked once more to make sure that the stove and oven were off before walking into the living room and relaxing comfortably onto the couch. It had been a long week. Long but refreshing.

Just a week ago he'd been thinking the same thing but everything was different now. Instead of only dreaming about her, she was here. He'd felt bad about leaving her alone in the apartment all week but she'd insisted that she was fine. Since all of her classes were online, she was able to work from her laptop and still get things done. She still hadn't told him how long she'd planned on staying but he was fine with that. As selfish and childish as it sounded, he wished that somehow she'd stay with him until the end of the semester but the phone call he'd overheard earlier would end any present and future hopeful thoughts. She still had a life over there with responsibilities that she would have to get back to eventually. She had already been here for a week, which left him to guess that he would only have at max, one more week with her. Another sigh escaped him and he closed his eyes, sinking further into the couch.

There was a light buzz from his pocket that startled him out of his relaxed sate. The calendar notification read _8:30_ _Dinner With Sakura_ and he smiled before exiting it. They weren't completely on time with his plans but the hard part was done. Dinner was cooked and all he had to do was wait for her to finish showering.

A bit of nostalgia crept through him as his thoughts turned to Meiling. He knew she'd laugh at the thought of their roles being switched. In the amount of time that he'd known her, he'd never cooked for her before.

They hadn't spoken since their last encounter at the coffee shop. His anger had subsided enough for him to try to see her side of the situation but he couldn't bring himself to find her actions justifiable; he did feel as though her actions were his fault for keeping the truth from her. It's not like he was obligated to tell her everything but given the situation and their history together, she was entitled to at least the whole truth.

Flipping through the contacts on his phone he came to rest on her number but just like every other time, he couldn't bring himself to call. With a sigh, he placed his phone on the table and leaned his head against the back of the couch. It was as if the moment everything felt at ease and in place, something else was right around the corner to disrupt the blissfulness that he'd found. Sakura was here…they were together but it cost him his friendship with Meiling. To top things off, her birthday was tomorrow and it seemed to be her least favorite day. Despite Sakura's wishes, Tomoyo had managed to convince them to have a birthday celebration for her at Syaoran's apartment. The only condition was that the celebration stayed minimal, meaning only she, Syaoran, Tomoyo and Eriol would be in attendance. As disappointed as Tomoyo was, she was grateful enough to at least have that.

The sudden banging jolted his thoughts away from everything and he stood from the couch, cautiously approaching the door. The pounding continued. He hadn't been expecting anyone and Sakura didn't mention anything about meeting new friends. The peephole was covered by someone's hand but he could hear hushed conversation and giggles from the other side.

"Syaoran, open the door! We know you're in there!"

He backed away from the door in a sudden panic as their banging became more persistent.

"You've gotta be kidding me." He said under his breath, running his hand through his hair.

"Hey Syaoran, what's with the—"

"Shhhh!" Syaoran bolted to Sakura's side and held a hand over her mouth in an effort to quiet her.

"What the hell, Syaoran?" Sakura whispered angrily, removing his hand from her mouth and wrapping her robe tighter around herself.

There was another barrage of banging as the female voices pierced through the door again demanding that he let them in.

"Who is that?" Sakura questioned wearily, taking a step towards the front door to see for herself.

Syaoran grabbed her hand and stopped her. "My sisters! I guess they came to surprise me." He hissed, looking around the room for any ideas of what steps to take next.

He had to figure out a way to get her out of there without his sisters finding out. If they met Sakura now, they would tear her apart, not literally of course, but he wasn't ready for the onslaught of questions and verbal abuse that they would surely receive for keeping secrets. The only one he'd told about Sakura was Feimei and he was 100 percent sure that she wouldn't tell them. If they saw him with another girl that wasn't Meiling, it would send them into a frenzied state.

Sakura turned back to face him. She hadn't seen him this worked up since he thought that she'd actually intended to really get married when they first went to speak to Arthur during spring break.

"So, why aren't we letting them in?" she asked almost innocently.

Syaoran grabbed her hand and pulled her along into the room. "Grab what you can that's yours and throw it in the closet."

"Syaoran, seriously what's going on?" Sakura stood in the middle of the room while he took what little belongings she had out and stashed them neatly in the corner of the closet.

He continued into the bathroom as though he hadn't heard her and placed her toiletries within the cabinets and drawers.

Sakura stifled laughter as he quickened his pace with every loud knock at the door.

"I'll hide in here, ok?"

He stopped in the middle of putting her toothbrush in the cabinet and turned to face her.

"If you're _that _ashamed of me, just make sure they stay out of here and I'll hang out with the bubbles in the tub." She laughed.

"Sakura no-…I'm not ashamed of you. It's just..."

She took his hand in hers and gave it a comforting squeeze, "I was just joking. I know you've told me how crazy your sisters are and if you're that scared of them then I'll just hide in here until you find a way to get them out of the house."

Their eyes remained locked for a few moments before Syaoran silently agreed with a nod and pulled her into a hug.

"You're the best, you know that?" he nuzzled into her neck and she giggled.

There were a few brief seconds of silence, both enjoying the last peace of the evening before the girls started again at full force.

Sakura aversely pulled away from him, "Go! Before they break down your door!" she shooed him out of the bathroom. He quickly placed a light kiss on her lips before bolting from the room.

With no other clothes to wear, Sakura quickly changed back into the clothes she'd had on before her shower and stashed her bathrobe in the cabinets underneath the sink. She sat down with her back against the bathroom door, her fingers gingerly traced the outline of her lips and they curved into a smile. Her heart slowed to a calming rate and she closed her eyes, hugging her knees closer to her and resting her head on them.

Everything seemed so perfect now. She wasn't having nightmares anymore, Syaoran was more than amazing to her all of the time and she felt genuinely happy. Except for today.

She'd felt like there was a dark cloud over her all day. They went for a walk in the park earlier and she'd completely spaced out, almost walking into the middle of an intersection.

Syaoran had asked her plenty of times if anything was wrong but she couldn't find it in her to tell him the truth. She was sure that he now knew that she'd disliked her birthday but he never pressed for a reason why.

It was like during spring break all over again only this time, given that they were practically dating, she owed it to him to tell him the truth about everything. The complete reason why she came, the nature of her nightmares; there was a list of things but most importantly he needed to know how she felt. After spending the entire week with him, she'd definitely gotten at least one of the answers that she'd come for.

Sakura heard the door from his bedroom open and the sound of female voices, breaking her thoughts and reminding her that she was supposed to be hiding. She quietly slid into the tub and pulled the curtain completely shut. If his sisters had made it this far into his room, she was certain they'd want to open the door. If she'd locked it, they would definitely know that something was up. Of course there was a slight chance that they would probably just look inside the room and that's exactly what she was hoping for but just in case…she had to think of something else. Quickly, she raced to turn off the light before returning to her hiding spot.

* * *

><p>"Your place is so cute and small compared to the house!" one of Syaoran's sisters commented.<p>

Syaoran stood against the wall nearest to the bathroom, holding his head in his hands. He had to think of something to get them out of the house as soon as possible. He could've just introduced his sisters to Sakura from the start but that would've been the brave and logical thing to do and of course he chose this moment to be anything _but_ brave and logical.

"Everything looks cute and small to you, Fuutie." another one said, clearly poking fun at the height of her sister.

Fuutie scoffed and rolled her eyes, "Like you don't feel the same, Shiefa. I'm only an inch taller than you!"

"Will the both of you quiet down? The neighbors will complain that the poor boy next door was attacked by 4 giants." The 3rd sister interjected.

"Good one, Fanren. Except the neighbors are two little old people that couldn't hear if their lives depended on it." The 4th and final sister commented.

The other 3 sisters turned to look at the 4th. "How do you know that, Feimei? You've been here before?"

"Yes. Because I'm Syaoran's favorite!" Feimei laughed and placed an arm around Syaoran, who'd been standing quietly during their entire exchange. The other 3 girls shrieked in unison, each with their own rebuttal as to why Feimei was Syaoran's favorite.

"I'm sorry about this. The minute I got home from work they made me start driving so I couldn't text you in time to tell you. It was a surprise to me to." Feimei whispered quickly through the girls' cries.

Syaoran nodded in understanding. "She's hiding in the bathroom." He mumbled quietly.

She quickly hid her shock and replied with a curt nod. Feimei finally understood why her brother seemed so nervous and she knew exactly why he'd hidden Sakura in the bathroom. Their sisters were like piranha.

Before they could continue their conversation, Syaoran was yanked away by the three girls. Feimei sighed and shook her head, making her way to his bed to take a seat.

"Look, I'm really sorry I didn't invite you sooner but let me make it up to you! I'll take you out to dinner tonight since my plans have been cancelled. How does that sound?" He held his hands up in defense.

"Plans?" Fuutie asked curiously, arching her eyebrows.

Syaoran rolled his eyes. Leave it to his oldest sister to be the nosiest. "Uh, yeah…I had some dinner plans. I've been taking cooking lessons and everything. If you would've taken a minute, you would've seen what I made in the kitchen."

Shiefa and Fanren "Ohed" in unison as if they were recalling what they'd seen as they briskly explored his tiny apartment.

Fuutie wasn't as quick to be convinced. "So, why are your plans cancelled?"

Syaoran gave a quick glance at Feimei for any hope of what he should say but she was too busy pretending to ignore him by staring at the floor. He would have to lie his way out of this one by himself.

"She had an emergency and had to cancel so I thought I'd save the food I made for tomorrow." Syaoran added, sounding almost unsure of his own words.

"She as in…"

"Meiling, of course!" Feimei chimed in. "I forgot you told me you were going to cook dinner for her this week."

Syaoran could have hugged his sister if it wouldn't have seemed completely random. "Yup, that was tonight!"

The eldest looked between her two youngest siblings with skepticism before turning to her other sisters to discuss the proposition amongst each other.

Syaoran took a seat on the bed next to Feimei, mouthing the words "thank you" as they both crossed their fingers and waited for a verdict from their jury of sisters. If there was any way to get them out of the apartment, this was it.

"Ok!" Fanren clapped her hands together a moment later. "So we saw this really cute restaurant just a couple of blocks away. You can take us to dinner AND we get to order dessert."

Syaoran stood to protest but Feimei grabbed his hand and gave it a squeeze. The both of them knew very well just how much their sisters could eat, especially when it came to dessert. Their petite frames would fool anyone who hadn't grown up with them. This would definitely put a dent in his pocket.

"Fine." He agreed, clearly defeated. The excited shrieks picked up where the angry screeching had ended and he returned to his seat next to Feimei as the other girls made their way into the living room.

Once they were in his living room, he lay back on the bed with his arms stretched above him, "You guys go ahead, Ill stay here to make sure she's ok."

Feimei shook her head, "No, I'll stay behind. You need to get out of here now." She said sternly.

He was relieved to know that she was taking this just as seriously as he was. They were only a couple of years apart and this was probably the reason why they were so close. She was the youngest sister and he was just the youngest.

"Wait, I just have to use the bathroom first!" Fuutie stated loudly, making her way back into the room.

Syaoran quickly rose from the bed, "Don't go in there!"

His oldest sister stopped short and turned to look at him in disbelief. When she didn't say anything, he knew he had to come up with something.

"It's uh...extremely messy."

She folded her arms across her chest, "Really?"

"I promise you, you'll lose your appetite if you go in there now. Don't you want to enjoy dinner?" he asked, trying to seem as calm and cool as possible.

Fuutie paused just before the door, tilting her head back in thought with her finger on her chin. Syaoran held his breath and cast a sideways glance at Feimei who now stood next to him.

His oldest sister shrugged, "I did grow up with you…" she said as though she had a faint memory of a young and messy Syaoran.

"…and I really don't remember you ever being a messy person, Syaoran. What are you hiding?" Her voice held an accusing tone.

Syaoran inhaled and stood up straight, crossing his arms over his chest. This wasn't the time to be intimidated by her like when he was younger. "Nothing. I'd just prefer you to not use my bathroom."

They held each other's gazes, the first to blink would surly be deemed the loser and Syaoran's eyes were already tearing up. He was never good at staring contests.

Unable to keep them open any longer he blinked back the tears that began to form.

"Ha! I win!" Fuutie announced triumphantly.

"And I have to use the bathroom! 'scuse me!" in an instant, Feimei had managed to sneak around Fuutie and into the bathroom, swiftly closing the door behind her.

Fuutie let out a frustrated cry and Syaoran fought to hold back any feelings of victory and only allowed a smug grin. He knew he wasn't completely out of trouble until they were sitting at the restaurant.

"Feimei! Let me in!" Fuutie, pulled on the handle of the locked door, clearly annoyed.

Shiefa and Fanran made their way back into the room, looking just as annoyed.

"What's with all the shouting? We're hungry!" Fanren whined.

"I had to use the bathroom but Feimei went in there before me!"

Shiefa rolled her eyes and grabbed Fuutie's hand, dragging her from the room. "Just use the one at the restaurant! Let's go!"

"You too, Syaoran! Feimei, can just meet us there! We'll walk since it's not that far and she can bring the car." Fuutie droned on as she grabbed her brother's hand and pulled him along behind her. Syaoran followed her with ease and relief, knowing that Sakura was safe. He'd definitely have to make it up to the both of them later.

Feimei waited until she heard the others leave and laughed to herself.

"Sakura? It's ok, Syaoran sent me to get you. My name is Feimei!"

She searched around the dark room for the light switch upon hearing no response.

"Sakura?"

She turned the light on and was surprised to see the curtain pulled back and no one in the tub, the small window let in a cool breeze as she walked over. Just as she was about to take a look she heard the front door of the apartment close.

Feimei turned off the light and closed the door behind her. There was the sound of ice being taken from the freezer and she heard an exasperated sigh as she entered into the living room.

"Hello!" Feimei greeted once she was close enough to the kitchen.

Sakura turned around startled, dropping her bag of ice in the process and wincing in pain.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you!" Feimei laughed as she hurried into the kitchen to help Sakura pick up the fallen cubes.

"Really?" Sakura asked jokingly, slowly picking up the remaining cubes and putting them in the sink.

Feimei grinned, "You're right, I can't really use that excuse if I snuck up on you when you thought no one else was here."

Sakura let out a long sigh and leaned her head against the countertop. "I guess jumping out of the window was a waste since you caught me anyways. Where are the other 3? Burying Syaoran?" she was too tired to try to defend herself from the onslaught that Syaoran promised from his sisters.

Feimei attempted to mask her laughter with little success. Sakura lifted her head, raising her eyebrows at the girl.

"One, you're ok. Syaoran told me to stay behind to make sure of that. Two, if by burying him you mean his wallet? Then yes…he can say goodbye to his finances after the girls get done with dessert. And Three—you must _really _like my brother if you're willing to jump out of his bathroom window."

Sakura quickly raised her head, her expression a mixture of relief and embarrassment.

"I'm Feimei, it's a pleasure to meet you." Feimei held out her hand with a sheepish grin.

Sakura straightened herself out and returned the gesture, "Sakura. But I'm sure you already know that."

"So…what was the ice for?" Feimei asked after their short introduction.

Sakura managed to hobble to the other side of the counter and slowly lowered herself onto one of the stools.

"My landing was far from perfect. I'm definitely not as nimble as I used to be."

Feimei nodded understandingly and smiled, "Have you had a lot of practice?" she asked curiously.

"Hanging out with guy friends in high school with an over protective brother sleeping down the hall, makes you a pro at these things." Sakura reached her arms above into a stretch. "But…that was practically 4 years ago now." She added gloomily, thinking about how rapidly time had passed.

"I wouldn't know what that was like, living with 3 other sisters and…well, Syaoran." Feimei shrugged and propped her elbows up on the counter.

Sakura laid her head upon her arms on the counter and closed her eyes. "Syaoran wasn't overprotective or anything?"

"Not at all, he was practically afraid of our sisters. They're terrifying sometimes." She laughed. "Don't tell him I told you that though." She added in.

Sakura peeked one eye open and grinned, "I can't promise you that."

Feimei's phone chimed and she retrieved it from her pocket. "Speaking of, it looks like our favorite guy needs our help. Are you hungry?"

Sakura sat up straight, "Yes but wait, I thought the whole point of this was to NOT meet your sisters."

FemMei grabbed her purse and her keys from the counter, "Yeah, but…trust me. This will work out way better in the long run. We can introduce you as his friend who simply stopped by to say hello and decided to join us for dinner. That way, later on it won't be as much of a shock if they already know who you are."

Sakura took in her words carefully. It did make sense if what she had with Syaoran was going to be as drama free as possible. If the sisters got to know her tonight, it would lessen the blow when he finally decided to tell them about their…well…relationship.

She sighed and stood from the stool, "Yeah, I guess. Let me just change my clothes first." Sakura excused herself briefly, returning a few minutes later.

"Might as well make something of the night. What could possibly go wrong, right?" Sakura shrugged, joining Feimei by the front door and putting on her shoes.

Feimei smirked, "Everything. Everything could go wrong. Just be sharp and stay clear of Fuutie. She's a bit too nosy sometimes but let's hope for the best, right?"

Sakura nodded, unsure of what she was about to get herself into. "Right."

The two girls pulled into the parking lot and managed to find a spot close to the door. Feimei offered to drive since Sakura was still sore from her fall and didn't feel up to walking.

"Ok, so when we get in there just stick close to me and Syaoran. Don't look any of them in the eye and don't answer any questions that someone who's only known him for a few weeks would know. Got it? We'll stick to the story and we should get through the first few minutes with ease."

Sakura nodded in response to Feimei's instructions and took a deep breath to calm her nerves. On the short drive to the restaurant, they'd come up with a story as to why Sakura was visiting that night and that she hadn't known Syaoran for very long at all.

"Now or never!" Feimei announced, turning the car off and exiting the vehicle.

"You seem almost excited about this." Sakura commented as they walked to the front door.

Feimei held the door open for her and gestured her inside. "I would be lying if I said that I wasn't."

Syaoran should have known that nothing good would come from this night after the 3 terrors plus Feimei showed up at his door unannounced. He then realized that it would only get worse as he watched Sakura and his favorite sister walk towards them inside the restaurant. He stared his approaching sister down, hoping to telepathically communicate with her to ask why she'd brought Sakura with her. There was no such luck as she grinned widely only for it to falter with realization of the meaning of Syaoran's "help me" text as she announced her arrival to the table.

"Everyone, this is Sakura. She's one of Syaoran's coworkers and happened to stop by right before I left. I hope you don't mind that I invited her to eat with us!"

Sakura put on a smile and waved, making sure to only briefly make eye contact with the unfamiliar stares that seemed to instantly begin to study her. She was caught off guard by a pair of familiar eyes though and went rigid. Syaoran followed her gaze and stood from the table to save the night from further disaster.

"Uh, right! Yeah, I forgot you said you might stop by. Sakura, these are my sisters: Shiefa, Fuutie and Fanran." He then turned to the other two guests and the table and gestured, "and this is Meiling and her friend Emi."

Meiling smiled meekly at Sakura and averted her gaze while Emi stood from her chair with her arm outstretched,

"Its _very_ nice to meet you, Sakura." Emi smiled.

Sakura looked from Emi's smile to her extended arm and shook it quickly before Emi returned to her seat.

FeiMei and Sakura took the two remaining chairs at the large round table. Syaoran was sandwiched in between Sakura and Meiling with Emi sitting to Meiling's left and Feimei sitting to Sakura's right. Fuutie, Fanran and Shiefa filled in the remaining seats to complete the circle.

"Did you guys order your food yet because I'm starving!" Feimei made an attempt to return some normalcy to the night after realizing the grave mistake she'd made. Syaoran wasn't very specific when he said he needed to be saved. If she had known that Meiling would be there, brining Sakura would have been out of the question. They would just have to make the most of the situation and stick to the plan.

"So you're Syaoran's coworker? How long have you known him?" Fuutie asked bluntly.

Sakura kept her eyes trained to the red tablecloth, clearly unaware that she was being spoken to and seemingly searching for answers to her own questions within it's rouge threads.

Syaoran took notice and nudged her with his leg before answering, "She just started after Spring Break. Since I'll be graduating, we needed to train someone else to take over for me."

Sakura snapped out of her thoughts and nodded a few times in agreement.

"He's been really great with helping me and everything" She added in. She caught sight of Fuutie who continued to look at her questioningly. After glancing at the other sisters, they didn't really seem very interested and were too busy looking through their menus. She made sure to stay clear from looking at Meiling and Emi and was relieved when their server offered her a menu.

"Here, you can have mine. I have to get going." Emi offered, standing from the table and holding her menu out to Sakura. The smile on Emi's face never faltered as Sakura hesitantly took the menu from her, whispering a quiet "thank you" in return.

"Are you sure you have to leave so soon? We can finish talking at your place." Meiling offered, a slight look of distraught on his face.

"No, Mei! You have to stay with us! We have some more catching up to do" Fanren chimed in. As if spending an entire week with them wasn't enough catching up.

Emi smiled at Meiling with an apologetic shrug.

"I'll walk you out to your car." Meiling sighed, her attempt at fleeing crushed. She knew the sisters would be heartbroken if she left so soon and she'd already lied to them once that evening.

Emi nodded and turned to the group, "It was nice meeting you all!" she stated before taking her leave with Meiling in step beside her.

"What an interesting night! Call me tonight and we'll talk, ok?" Emi said briskly embracing her friend once they were outside.

Meiling nodded, "Is everything ok? I mean, you don't have to leave because of the story I told them. I don't even know why I lied for Syaoran. We haven't spoken since that day…"

Emi placed a hand on her friends shoulder, "It's fine. I mean, talking about wedding plans is always an "emergency," She laughed.

There was something off about her, Meiling noticed. They may not have been on speaking terms in the last few years but Meiling knew when something wasn't right.

"Meiling, It's nothing…I just remembered that I had something to take care of. I'll call you later tonight and you can tell me everything, ok?"

Meiling took a deep breath and nodded, "I will…wish me luck in there. I'm really going to need it."

Emi grabbed Meiling's hand and gave it a quick squeeze. "You'll be fine." She reassured and smiled before turning to leave.

"I hope." Meiling whispered as she watched Emi drive away. Taking another deep breath she turned to walk back inside only to see Syaoran waiting for her. He met her halfway before she could reach the front door, his hands were buried in his pockets and he looked at her intently.

"Can I talk to you before we go back inside?" he asked, nodding his head towards the bench off to the side of the restaurant. Meiling nodded and followed behind him. He sat down and ran his hands quickly through his hair. A gesture he did whenever he was confused or upset.

"You can sit down, you know." He gestured to the open spot next to him.

Meiling wasn't really worried about where she sat or stood. It had been over a week since they'd last seen each other or even spoken and all of a sudden she was caught in this strange situation, sitting just one seat away from his new girlfriend, she assumed, and lying to his sisters who'd always showed nothing but adoration towards her.

To say the least, her emotions weren't very stable. She wanted so much to be angry with him, but seeing him so worked up, she honestly wanted nothing more than to comfort him like he had always done whenever she was feeling low. She took a seat on the far side of the bench, opposing the yearning she felt to be nearer to him.

* * *

><p>"I wonder what's taking Syaoran so long." Fanren yawned, playing with the paper wrapping from her straw.<p>

Sakura looked around the table when there was no response from any of the other girls. She was glad that there weren't any other questions directed about her relationship with Syaoran but now she had so many other questions of her own.

"So do you think that they're dating yet?" Fanren spoke again. At this, the other girls were brought back to attention.

"I don't know…remember how upset she seemed about what happened during Spring Break?" Shiefa chimed in.

Fanren flicked the piece of paper across the table, "But didn't she say that it wasn't Syaoran that got married but that Eriol and Tomoyo were getting married? She can't still be upset about that if it was a misunderstanding."

Feimei and Sakura exchanged quick glances and continued to listen to their conversation.

"I don't know," Fuutie started, "I still don't believe him. If there wasn't another girl in his life then Meiling would have called us sooner and told us that they were dating. When Syaoran wants something, he goes for it. He's still hiding something."

As indirect as it seemed, Sakura knew that Fuutie was aiming to get a rise from her. She was too quick to assume that she was free from the eldest sisters scrutiny.

"You're right. What about you Sakura? Have you noticed Syaoran with any girls while he's at work?" Shiefa asked harmlessly.

Sakura allowed herself to laugh nervously, "Well…"

"Food's here! Feimei, go get Syaoran!" Fanran interrupted joyously.

Sakura couldn't tell if there was actually a look of disappointment on Fuutie's face at the lack of a response from her or annoyance because of her sisters over zealous personality.

Feimei quickly removed herself from the table to go retrieve her brother as the waiter passed along plates for dinner.

* * *

><p>"Thank you for helping me out in there. I…didn't mean for you to have to lie to my sisters like that." Syaoran started, keeping his eyes trained to the floor. What a twist of the fate when he walked into the restaurant with his sisters to see Emi and Meiling enjoying their own dinner. Long story short, he was able to get her to play along and tell them that she was helping Emi solved a "wedding emergency".<p>

Meiling was still unable to find her voice and simply nodded. This was going to be harder than she thought. What was she supposed to say to him: _'Yeah, no problem! By the way, your new girlfriend is very pretty. Did I ever tell you that we ran into each other at the grocery store once?'_

Meiling laughed to herself. Syaoran looked over at her and furrowed his eyebrows with confusion.

"I'm sorry," she hid her grin behind her hand. It felt good to find some humor in this whole situation.

"It's good to know that you find this amusing." He managed a grin as well.

Her laughter subsided and the silence returned. "I'm sorry."

"Please stop apologizing, Meiling. You didn't do anything wrong." Syaoran said through gritted teeth and rose from the chair. She made a move to follow but decided against it and returned her gaze to her lap.

"None of this is really your fault. If I had just been honest with you from the beginning then we wouldn't be in this situation. I'm really sorry, Meiling."

She looked over at him, his back facing her, shoulders slumped and his hands once again shoved into his pockets. He looked defeated, to say the least.

Meiling stood and swallowed the knot that had been forming in her throat from holding back her emotions. Was the situation really that bad? Judging by the fact that Syaoran was clearly distressed, Sakura definitely wasn't just his co-worker and he hadn't told his sisters, besides Feimei, about her or their situation at all. He was taking the blame for it all. What he'd just said was true to say the least, but she was the one who had acted out of jealousy and curiosity when she'd taken Sakura's bracelet. If he could swallow his pride, then she could to.

With a deep breath she walked and stood beside him, reaching for his hand.

"Things will be ok," Meiling said, giving his hand a gentle squeeze. Syaoran looked down at her, his expression still solemn.

"_We_ will be ok." She continued, her gaze never faltering. It was what the both of them needed to hear. Emi was right; she'd definitely softened up in the last few years. If she wanted to get back to being the tough, independent, Meiling, it would have to start now.

Syaoran smiled and engulfed her in his arms. Slowly, Meiling raised her arms around him and returned his hug. She released the breath she'd been holding and smiled to herself. If there was no more than friendship to the embrace they were currently sharing it was ok with her. Despite the pang in her heart that reminded her of that, she would _have_ to be ok with it.

"Ahem."

Their moment ended and they turned to the entrance of the restaurant to see Feimei.

"If you two are done smothering each other, dinner is ready." she grinned.

Syaoran jokingly glared at his favorite sister, "Did the others send you to spy on us?" he laughed.

Meiling was reluctant to let go as Syaoran removed his arms from around her and made his way towards his sister.

"Psh, yeah right. They're too wrapped up in their dinner." she responded.

Syaoran turned back to beckon Meiling towards them, his hand outstretched. "Come on, Mei, let's go!"

Without any further hesitation, the raven-haired girl skipped forward and latched herself onto his arm.

"I'm still going to need that arm, you know?" Syaoran joked at the intensity with which his friend had connected herself to him.

Meiling only squeezed tighter and smirked, "Get over it, Syaoran."

He messily rubbed her hair as they made their way back to the table.

"It's about time!" Fanran cheered as her brother, sister and Meiling returned to the dinner table. Sakura was noticeably absent.

"You guys go ahead and start eating since I've already finished. I'll be right back." Meiling excused herself. She briefly made eye contact with Syaoran and smiled before heading off to the restroom. Syaoran looked away only to see Fuutie eyeing him curiously before turning her attention to her dinner.

"Well, Sakura said we could start without her too so let's eat!" Fanren continued and began eating her meal.

* * *

><p>Sakura was in the middle of washing her hands when Meiling entered the restroom. They caught sight of each other through the mirror. Sakura wasn't sure of what to make of it as the girl stood next to her, placing her purse on the counter top and rummaging through it. The silence in the room was deafening when she finally turned the water off.<p>

"Funny running into you again," Meiling smiled and handed her a paper towel. Sakura gave her a curious look and accepted the towel, drying her hands slowly.

"At the grocery store…remember?" Meiling continued, reapplying her lip-gloss. She placed the balm back into her purse and turned to face the brunette.

"Oh, yeah, that's right!" Sakura remembered suddenly with a small laugh. The air around them seemed to settle with the echoes of her laughter.

Meiling smiled softly, "How did the dinner turn out? Syaoran can be a hassle when it comes to his favorite dish."

Sakura was surprised at the ease at which Meiling had brought him up. It was pointless to ask how she'd known. "We actually didn't even get a chance to eat it that night," Sakura started off quietly. Was she really about to talk to Meiling about this? How much had Syaoran managed to tell her in the time that they were outside? She clearly knew that they weren't co-workers.

She shook her head, "But I actually helped him make it the next night. I've been teaching him how to cook all week." Sakura finished with a pleased grin.

"Really? That's quite the accomplishment! I'm glad." Meling applauded quietly. The girls looked upon one another, both with grateful and understanding eyes.

"I'm Sorr-"

Meiling shook her head with closed eyes, cutting Sakura off from apologizing.

"Don't. He's happy…and that's all I could ever ask for." She stated surely. If there was one thing she wanted to be true tonight, it's that she wanted him to be happy. If that meant lying to his sisters for the rest of the evening and to herself as she spoke civilly to the girl who unsuspectingly took the object of her affection from her...then she would continue holding her head high and smile.

Sakura smiled sadly at the girl in front of her and nodded understandingly. She couldn't say that she understood exactly how Meiling was feeling but she would support her wish. They didn't know each other at all but she felt a sense of closeness to the raven-haired girl in that one moment.

"Hey, so…Emi…did she say anything to you?"

Meiling looked at Sakura curiously. What did Emi have to do with anything? "No…why? How do you know—"

"You guys aren't killing each other, are you?" Feimei interrupted, peaking inside.

Meiling held Sakura's gaze for a second longer before turning to face Syaoran's youngest sister.

"You really have a knack for interrupting things don't you. Did Syaoran really send you to check on us?" She asked, rolling her eyes.

Feimei laughed and nodded, "He didn't have to say anything. He's acting so fidgety so I thought I'd help put him out of his misery and fetch you two."

Meiling shook her head, "Does he have that little faith in us?" she directed at Sakura with a grin.

"So, what were you saying about Emi, Sakura?" Meiing looked back at heras they made their way to the table.

"Oh, it's nothing! She just looked a little familiar, that's all." Sakura smiled in an attempt to mask her own curiosity. Meiling shrugged it off as the girls returned to their respective seats.

Dinner continued on without a hitch. Syaoran stayed true to his word and paid for his sisters' dinners and desserts, leaving his wallet empty but his heart full. It wasn't everyday that he got to spend time with some of his favorite people, despite the irritation they caused him sometimes.

"Are you sure you don't want to sleep over, Sakura? It'll be fun!" Feimei asked cheerfully.

The group now stood outside the restaurant and conversed casually. Meiling offered to let Syaoran's sisters sleep over since they'd forgotten to book a hotel for the night and Syaoran's apartment wouldn't be able to accommodate them.

"She can't! She's got a party to prepare for tomorrow." Syaoran smirked, clearly still on a high from the success of the night. Sakura shot him a deadly glare at the mention of her birthday festivities. It wasn't something she was particularly thrilled about.

"What was that for?!" he shouted after receiving a slap in the back of his head from her. When there was no response he continued, "Oh, whatever. So Sakura—for some strange reason—doesn't want to celebrate her birthday. But Tomoyo convinced her of otherwise so we'll be celebrating tomorrow." Syaoran announced to the rest of the group. He'd formulated this plan during the last phases of their dinner. If he wanted his sisters to get to know her more and to dampen the shock when it came time to tell them about their relationship, he would have to take advantage of this opportunity. If things went well, they would know by tomorrow night.

"A Birthday party! How exciting!" Fanren exclaimed, clapping her hands together.

"How do you know Tomoyo?" Fuutie asked, her curiosity peaking again.

"I'd hope to think that since you're mentioning it, we're all invited." Shiefa directed her question towards Sakura, her expression inquisitive.

Sakura looked to Syaoran for some assistance and found her answer in the eager expression on his face. It almost seemed like this was his birthday they were planning for. She turned back to the group and nodded with approval.

"Tomoyo's actually my cousin. She mentioned to Eriol that I needed a job and he told Syaoran, which is how I ended up working with him. But anyways…of course, you're welcome to come." She smiled politely through the small lie she included in her story. It was something she and Feimei had come up with in the car earlier.

If Syaoran seemed eager to Sakura before then his sisters' excitement was twice what he'd been feeling and 10 times more than how she'd felt about the entire situation.

"What a small world!" Fanren exclaimed.

"Well great! It'll be at my place so I'll text Meiling and let her know what time you all should come." Syaoran grinned triumphantly.

"Wait, what?" Meiling finally spoke, genuinely confused by his last statement. He couldn't possibly want her to go to the birthday party too. She was a strong person but really, it was all a little overwhelming. She never thought she'd say it but she really just needed time to herself after the circus act of a night.

Syaoran wrapped an arm around her and ruffled her hair, "Of course you're coming! Bring Emi too."

"What?!" Both Meiling and Sakura voiced simultaneously.

Meiling and Syaoran both turned to Sakura in confusion of her response. Sakura quickly covered her moth with her hands and let out a small apology.

Syaoran furrowed his eyebrows and let Meiling go, turning his attention back to Sakura as did the rest of the group.

"I just…I'm sorry," she sighed and looked from Syaoran to Meiling and then to the group and gathered her thoughts.

"I really didn't want this to turn into a big event. If it wasn't for Tomoyo, I would probably cancel the whole thing but…it's fine. Everyone is welcome to come including you, Meiling…and Emi too. There's no sense in letting another birthday go to waste, right?" She added the last part cheerfully. At this point, things were too far along to try to come up with an excuse as to why they couldn't come.

Syaoran looked at Sakura knowingly. Again, she was hiding something and again he'd have to wait for her to tell him.

"Alright then it's settled!" Syaoran continued, cutting through the growing silence.

They all said their farewells and split up, the girls and Meiling walking towards their cars and Syaoran and Sakura headed off towards his apartment.

"What was that back there?" Syaoran asked once they'd left the parking lot of the restaurant. His apartment was just a couple of blocks away.

"What was what back where?" Sakura fired back, picking up the pace in her step. This conversation had a hint of familiarity to it. They'd already reached the beginning of his block and his apartment was now in sight.

Syaoran walked briskly to catch up with her and caught her arm, stopping her from moving.

"You know what I'm talking about. Is there something wrong?"

"No but there's so much that _could_ go wrong. You know I didn't want to turn this into a big event, Syaoran and now your sisters and Meiling and Emi…" she was near tears, her voice cracked towards the end. How long had she been holding them back, she wondered as she knelt to the ground.

Syaoran knelt beside her and comforted her, gently rubbing his hand over her back and wiping away her tears with another.

"Did something happen back there? Did Meiling say something to you when you guys were alone?"

Sakura shook her head as another sob escaped her. She wished that Meiling had done something to upset her but the woman had been courteous and understanding while all she could do was continue to lie to everyone around her.

"I'm sorry—I didn't know it would make you this upset—I'll text them now and let them know."

Sakura shook her head, inhaling deeply and exhaling the same. She stood and composed herself, using her own hands to wipe the tears away.

"There's just…there's so much I need to say and that I need to know and I was just a little overwhelmed. I didn't mean to break down like that." She finally said, her voice unwavering.

Syaoran held both of her hands in his, searching her for any sign of what she was trying to say, the truth about everything that had been bothering her.

"Syaoran I—" Sakura's words were cut off by a loud, droning buzz from her cell phone. She looked at him apologetically before fetching the device and turning around to take the call. She couldn't think of anyone that would be calling her at this time of night other than…

"Tomoyo?"

"Happy Birthday, Sakura!" Her cousin shouted into her ear. Sakura held the phone away from the side of her head and laughed in return.

"Thank you! I didn't even realize that it was midnight. You're the first one!" Sakura grinned; her spirits were suddenly lifted by the voice on the other line. She hadn't realized how much of an effect her best friend had on her.

"You mean I beat Syaoran? He's definitely all out of strikes!" Tomoyo laughed into the receiver.

Syaoran grabbed the phone from Sakura and skipped back as she attempted to take it back from him.

"That's not very fair, Tomoyo! We were in the middle of something and you interrupted us."

Tomoyo laughed, "'In the middle of something'? …Something like _what_?" she emphasized her last word.

Sakura manged to pry the phone away from Syaoran, "I know what you're thinking and it's not like that! We just got done having dinner with his sisters and Meiling and her friend Emi." She dodged Syaoran's attempt to tickle her and ran towards his apartment.

Tomoyo was silent for a few moments, which allowed Sakura time to race up the stairs, catching her breath at the landing.

"That's…an interesting combination of people. What happened?" Tomoyo's voiced fell into a whisper towards the end.

"I'll tell you everything tomorrow, I promise." Sakura laughed into the receiver as Syaoran managed to finally catch her in a barrage of tickles.

"Yeah, Tomoyo, Sakura's busy right now so we'll see you tomorrow. Good night!" Syaoran yelled into the receiver.

Tomoyo heard a click signaling that he'd hung up the phone. She put her own phone down on the nightstand and turned to face her fiancé. Eriol lay on his back, his eyes closed behind his glasses as he breathed softly.

"Sakura had dinner with Syaoran and his sisters…and Meiling and her friend Emi.." Tomoyo whispered to him, reaching over and removing the spectacles from his face.

"Hn?" he stirred, blinking a few times before his eyes closed once more.

Tomoyo hid her smile behind her hand and placed his glasses on the nightstand before switching off the light.

"Interesting, right? She said she'll tell us what happened tomorrow." she continued, cuddling closer to him. Eriol nodded and shifted his position, wrapping an arm around her shoulder as she rested her head upon his chest.

"This birthday will definitely be one to remember…" she whispered once more before silence filled the room.

* * *

><p>Sakura collapsed onto the couch in a fit of laughter as Syaoran towered over her, his fingers curled in front of him.<p>

"Ok, ok! You win. I give up." She said in between catching her breath. Syaoran smiled victoriously and removed himself from on top of her. "That's what I thought." He said smugly, making his way to the kitchen.

Sakura picked up a couch pillow and tossed it at his head. He narrowly dodged it and looked at her incredulously as the pillow fell to the floor against the wall.

Sakura laid back down onto the couch with her own triumphant smile after hearing Syaoran mutter something about living with crazy girls. She was happy for Tomoyo's call. In a matter of minutes, her birthday seemed like the most exciting day to her. Of course, it always started out that way with Tomoyo's call but in past years, her entire mood would change once she was left alone to her own thoughts. This year would be different and she would enjoy the company of her friends. It would be impossible for the ghosts of her past to creep in and make her day anything less than what she'd always wanted.  
>'Except one' she thought dryly. It was definitely something she would have to deal with and make the most of tomorrow.<p>

She opened her eyes and sat up, the apartment was now dark, save for one small flame that sat upon a small piece of cake on the counter. There was no sign of Syaoran as she walked over to the small cake with a wide grin.

"Happy Birthday, Sakura."

She turned around to find him smiling softly, holding a piece of chocolate cake that also adorned a lit candle.

"Two cakes? You're such an over achiever." She grinned.

"One for me and one for you." He answered in return.

Sakura picked up the cupcake from the counter and held it in front of her so that their faces were more lit in the darkness.

"I thought this was supposed to be my special day. What if I don't want to share?" She raised an eyebrow at him.

Syaoran chuckled, "Greedy. Too bad because it just so happens to be my birthday too."

"Really?" Sakura's eyebrows creased. Thinking about it, she couldn't remember whether or not he'd ever told her his birthday.

Syaoran held her gaze for a moment longer before speaking, "April Fools."

Before she could retaliate, as he assumed she would he set his cupcake down on the counter and revealed a bundle of pink and white roses from behind his back and held it in between them.

"Aww, these are beautiful!" Sakura exclaimed, sitting her own cupcake down on the counter as well. She inhaled the fresh aroma of the flowers and smiled up at him.

"Really…thank you, you didn't have to do any of this for me. Dinner was enough. Where did you even get these cakes? You definitely didn't bake them yourself." She said slyly.

Syaoran laughed at the truth behind her statement. There was no way he could have pulled off something like baking cupcakes yet.

"I asked the waiter to have them ready to go when you were still in the restroom. So when they brought us our to-go bags, they were already set." He said through the roses that still lay in between.

"Very clever. Good job." Sakura congratulated him. She picked up both cupcakes from the counter and held them in front of her, illuminating them once more.

"So, I guess we can pretend that it's your birthday too…there's no sense in me taking both wishes." Sakura held the chocolate cupcake out in front of her.

"Ladies first." He offered, gesturing for her to make her wish.

Sakura shrugged and closed her eyes before blowing out the candle on her cupcake. She then nodded in his direction, "Go ahead."

Syaoran looked thoughtful for a moment before blowing out his candle too. The darkness settled around them quickly. There was a shuffling noise as the both of them placed their cupcakes and the flowers on the counter.

"So…what did you wish for?" Sakura asked quietly through the dark, the only light being that of the moon that barely shown through his closed blind but she could make out his silhouette in front of her.

"Well…I just realized that you're older than me since my birthday isn't until July," he started quietly and paused. "Honestly, I've always wanted to date an older woman." He said with a husky laugh. There bodies were mere inches apart as Sakura moved closer to him.  
>"And your wish?" he asked quietly, his arms encircling her waist.<p>

She smirked, although she knew he couldn't see her and spoke in a whisper, "You can just kiss me already."

It didn't take long for him to scoop her into a cradle in his arms as he leaned in to fulfill her wish.

* * *

><p><strong>ANx2:<strong>

**Compass Star: No dying from sweetness! Lol But forreal, I think I went a little overboard haha. **

**Deadflo: Everything will come to light in the next 2 chapters! :( **

**Saki-Hime: I re-read that scene a million times because I liked it so much!**

**Aizawa Li Syaoran Vessalius – I hope you were satisfied with their meeting! Let me know what you thought of it or what you wished to happen instead!**

**Randomsam123: haha don't we all wish these things? **

**AHRG: I'm getting better at writing cute moments!**

**Lhaine07: I hope this chapter made you happy! The next chapter might not though. **

**Cupid 17: What did you think of this chapters kawaii moments?**

**Broken emerald: I'm glad you're enjoying it! ^_^**

**Intraleaena: Aww thank you! There are so many awesome fics out there & then I read mine & I feel "blah" about it. I'm learning though. I feel like each chapter progresses just a little more. **

**Udane-Haizea: Hope you enjoyed this chapter too!**

So up until last night, I hadn't realized that Fuutie was the eldest Li sister. I always thought it was Shiefa! ^_^ I also didn't really go into their ages since it's not super important, I guess.

Thank you for the reviews last chapter! They really made me smile and kept me motivated to finish.

To answer a question I'm sure a lot of you are wondering: **The truth will be revealed in the next chapter.**

Which sadly means that this story will be ending in a few more chapters :(.

Feel free to PM me if you have any comments or questions or just feel like rambling with me in between updates! I really enjoy talking to you all!

Always,

Synea K.


	15. Maybe

**AN: Geez I missed it here. Please don't hate me. It's been way too long, I know. I've been working really hard on these next few chapters over the last couple of years (it feels weird saying that) and ended up just splitting this one in half.  
>Still working on the 2<strong>**nd**** part and editing it but I was determined to put something out tonight so…here's hoping that you all are still reading!**

**Thank you to everyone that still continues to follow/review/favorite me! I DID and still do get the alerts and it broke my heart every time that I couldn't update.**

**Hope I don't disappoint too much! I'm a little rusty but I'll be back :).**

* * *

><p><strong>Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters - CLAMP has that right. [I do own this plot though &amp; a couple extra people in there ^_^]<strong>

_Summary:_  
><em>Syaoran has been living a pretty comfortable life until a girl he meets during a Spring Break road trip shows up on his doorstep a week later, turning his comfortable world upside down.<em>

* * *

><p><em>0401 04:02AM - 2 years ago_

It was her birthday.

_That was the only explanation that Sakura could think of as to why her brother would be calling her at 4 o'clock in the morning. _

_"Hello, Touya." She answered her phone drowsily._  
><em>"Sakura," her brother started softly.<em>  
><em>"If you were trying to be the first one to wish me a happy birthday, you're too late. Hiro already beat you to it." She yawned. <em>

_There was silence on the other end and Sakura squinted through the darkness to make sure the call was still connected. _

_"Touya?"_

_"Sakura, listen…there's no easy way to say this." Her brother continued wearily._

_At the sound of unease in his voice, she fumbled to turn on the lamp on the nightstand._  
><em>"Is it dad? Is he ok?" her heart rate increased at the thought of something happening to their father.<em>

_"Dad is fine. He's perfectly fine." Touya reassured quickly._

_She settled back into her sheets but still remained alert. "Then are you ok?" She could hear him take a deep breath which only worried her more._

_"Touya!" she whispered heatedly._

_"Y-Yes! I'm fine too. Sorry." He stammered before another deep sigh._  
><em>"Sakura, I want you to know that an accident is just that…an accident. Sometimes things happen that are beyond our control."<em>

_"Touya, please, just tell me what's going on. You're really scaring me." She hugged one of her pillows to her chest and waited for the worst._

**~X~X~**

Sakura pulled her pillow over her head and groaned. It was way too early for disturbances.  
><em>But really, <em>she thought, _when did 11:30 become 'early'?_  
>"Maybe if we wait long enough, they'll think we went out somewhere." she grumbled as the knocking from the front door continued to echo around Syaoran's small apartment.<br>She uncovered her ears and turned over to face the man beside her. Syaoran propped himself up onto one elbow and smoothed back a piece of her hair with his fingertips.  
>"You think so? I'm surprised they haven't started shrieking yet. It's a good thing we left our phones out there." He replied.<br>Sakura pouted and held his hand in her own. "They're your sisters. Please make them stop?" Syaoran rested his hand on her cheek and furrowed his eyebrows.  
>"I can't. Mother programed them this way when she built them. They won't stop until they get what they came for."<br>Sakura was unamused by his comment.  
>"Let me guess. Your sisters are really robots with a mission to smother everyone with non-lethal hugs." She said dryly.<br>Syaoran's eyebrows relaxed and he shrugged. "April fools?"  
>The knocking continued, causing her to press the pillow to her face once more with the pillow.<br>Syaoran laughed, "Plus, It's so entertaining to see you this way!" he grinned wryly.  
>In one swift motion, Sakura smushed the pillow into his face and turned away from him.<br>"You have a really terrible sense of humor!" she exclaimed.  
>Syaoran flung the pillow back at her and clumsily stood up from the bed.<br>"I'm not the one that's trying to suffocate someone over a joke." He retorted but swiftly held his hands up in defense as she grabbed the pillow in retaliation. She raised herself onto her knees and held the pillow in a throwing position.  
>"Truce, truce. I'll go get the door." He pleaded and made his way from the bed across the room. She laughed and stood from the bed, following behind him with the pillow hanging menacingly above her.<br>"I'll let you win this time. But only because it's your birthday." Syaoran added in quickly with a peck to her lips before slipping out of the room and closing the door behind him.  
>Sakura blushed and pressed the pillow to her face, hiding the uncontrollable smile and the slight ache of guilt in her heart.<p>

Syaoran shuffled across the living room catching sight of their two cell phones on the counter and the dinner from the night before that was left untouched in the kitchen. _So much for my cooking career _he laughed inwardly. Before he could think twice about anything else, there was another round of steady knocks.  
>With a deep breath, he flung the door open. Tomoyo's small fist knocked twice onto his chest, the door no longer between them.<br>"Well you're not who I thought you were." Syaoran's eyebrows raised in surprise at the girl that stood in his doorway.  
>"You!" Tomoyo gasped and pointed her finger into his chest.<br>"Yes?" he asked, taking a step back from the force of her push.  
>"20 minutes!" she pointed again and continued to press her finger into his chest with each reason she gave. "We've been outside for nearly 20 minutes! We called both of your phones but no one answered AND you cut off my phone conversation with Sakura last night!"<p>

Syaoran caught her finger with just two of his own and closed his hand around hers, the gesture causing her to halt her verbal and physical assault.  
>"Tomoyo," Syaoran started calmly. "Why are you attacking me?"<br>She took a deep breath and freed her hand, grabbed the handle of the small rolling suitcase at her feet and pushed her way past him into the apartment. "Seriously? Did you not just hear a word I said?"

"Good morning, Tomoyo. Welcome to my home." Syaoran retorted with indifference and attempted to close the door. He was stopped halfway by Eriol's foot as the dark haired boy stumbled through the doorway carrying a large box.

"Nice to see you too, Eriol." Syaoran rolled his eyes and closed the door.

"Where is Sakura anyway?" Eriol asked placing the box down and relaxing into one of the bar stools. "It's almost noon, I thought you guys would be up by now."  
>"She ran away." Was Syaoran's simple response.<br>Eriol smirked, "Tomoyo doesn't take kindly to April Fools jokes." He nodded towards his fiancé who hadn't seemed to hear the joke. Tomoyo still seemed to be fuming, a cloud of frustration behind her eyes as she worked to unpack her things.  
>Sakura cautiously opened the door of the bedroom "I'm only here if it's safe to come out."<br>A light in Tomoyo's eyes appeared instantly at the sound of her cousin's voice.  
>"Run!" Syaoran shouted. "Before it's too late!" Eriol chimed in.<p>

Tomoyo raced from the kitchen to the bedroom, ignoring the boy's comments, and engulfed the birthday girl in a hug. "Happy Birthday!" she squealed.  
>"Thank you, Tomoyo!" Sakura said while returning the hug, "And I'm sorry we couldn't finish talking last night."<br>Tomoyo shook her head, "It's ok! We can catch up at brunch!"  
>"Brunch?" Sakura questioned.<br>"Yes, brunch!" Tomoyo repeated. "Just the two of us so hurry up and get ready!"  
>Sakura peeked over Tomoyo's shoulder to catch Syaoran's eye, wordlessly seeking his opinion.<br>"Sounds like a good plan to me. Eriol and I have some things to take care of anyways." He shrugged casually.  
>Sakura left with a smile leaving Tomoyo to return to unpacking her things.<p>

_03/31 11:53PM - 2 years ago_

_"I don't think your sister likes me very much." Sakura whispered into the phone. She could hear the door to Hiro's bedroom close._  
><em>"She's just being a little sister." Hiro sighed and settled back onto his bed.<em>  
><em>Sakura scoffed, "I'm a little sister and I'm definitely not like that! Just be honest, she's hated me since the first day we started dating. Things were fine when you and I were just friends."<em>  
><em>Hiro laughed, "It's really not like that. Ok, well…yeah, I guess it is. She's just not used to me giving all of my attention to another girl."<em>

_"I wonder how your mom must feel on Mother's Day!" Sakura laughed. "What's gonna happen when we're married?" She added._

_Her laughter subsided when she realized there was silence once again on the other line._

_"Hiro?"_

_Sakura pressed the phone closer to her ear only to hear a muffled conversation coming from the other line. It continued for a few more moments before the door to his room slammed shut once more and he returned to the phone._  
><em>"I'm sorry about that. This is so frustrating. I don't know what's gotten into Emi." Hiro sounded defeated.<em>

_Sakura sat up in her bed and readjusted her phone. She thought about the tension that had grown between her and Hiro's younger sister since she'd started dating him. She couldn't help but feel like a wedge that was pushing herself between her boyfriend and his family. No matter how many time's he would reassure her that he and his sister were just growing apart, she couldn't help but feel as though she was the main reason for this._  
><em>"Maybe you shouldn't come tomorrow. I'll be home in a couple of weeks. We can see each other then." She said solemnly. As much as she'd wanted to see him for her birthday, it didn't feel right. Maybe when she came home, she would make another attempt to invite Emi out with them. If it was the last thing she did, she would win her over.<em>  
><em>"You're right, maybe I shouldn't come tomorrow." He said, thoughtfully. Sakura exhaled sadly at the thought of not seeing him but knew it would be for the best.<em>  
><em>"I should come tonight." He added with a hint of mischief.<em>  
><em>"What? No!" Sakura exclaimed with a mix of disapproval and excitement. "I mean, I want you to come but if it means that your sisters going to hate me even more then no."<em>  
><em>"It's not up to her. I can come tonight, tell my family that I left really early on a random daytrip with some friends to the beach, and be back by midnight."<em>  
><em>Sakura rolled her eyes, "Hiro!"<em>  
><em>Waiting for his response she was met with a quiet chuckle instead. "April fools."<em>  
><em>To say that she was over April Fools jokes was an understatement but it would be a lie to say that she wasn't the least bit disappointed that he wasn't coming.<em>  
><em>"It had better be. So, I'll see you in a couple of weeks, right?" she mused.<em>  
><em>"Whatever you want, Sakura but only because it's your birthday."<em>  
><em>Sakura glanced over at her side table to see the bright red 12:00AM shining back at her and she grinned.<em>  
><em>"Aw, thanks! You were the first this year! Tomoyo won't be too thrilled."<em>  
><em>Hiro laughed, "Well, she's just going to have to forgive me for that later. I'm sure she's throwing a fit at her leadership retreat right now."<em>  
><em>Sakura smiled and relaxed back into the bed. "Yeah, we'll see about that. She's not the most forgiving person but I think I can convince her." A yawn escaped her and she snuggled deeper into her sheets.<em>

_The silenced settled between them, sleep creeping forward just as it had so many nights over the last year that they'd been together. Had it really been just a year? It felt much longer. Her thoughts made her smile._  
><em>"So," Hiro whispered.<em>  
><em>Sakura smiled even more at the sound of his voice.<em>  
><em>"You want to marry me?"<em>  
><em>She giggled quietly, "April fools…duh."<em>  
><em>"Just kidding!" she added swiftly.<em>  
><em>He laughed, "The whole point is to give me a chance to believe you."<em>  
><em>Sakura shrugged lazily, "Oh well."<em>  
><em>She could hear him settling in to sleep as his voice grew quieter. "So you would be willing to face the wrath of Emi for the rest of your life?"<em>  
><em>Another yawn escaped her, "Of course I would. I love you."<em>  
><em>There was a comforting silence between them but she could tell he was smiling as he replied.<em>  
><em>"I love you too, Sakura. Always did and always will."<em>

_It's a beautiful day._ Sakura tried to focus on that one thought as she stared out of the window of the small café. But as beautiful as the day was on the outside, she'd felt a bit under the weather inside. Her dreams had been pretty peaceful for the most part in the last few weeks, but she'd awoken this morning only to the thought of the last time she'd spoken to Hiro; a natural occurrence every year on her birthday. She found it hard to focus on the conversation with Tomoyo all morning when every quiet moment she had would bring her back to the hours just before…  
>"Earth to Sakura!" Tomoyo waved a hand in front of her friends face to get her attention.<br>Sakura smiled self-consciously, "Sorry, it's just so pretty outside! I kind of got lost in my thoughts a bit. All ready to go?"  
>Tomoyo eyed her curiously with slightly pursed lips. Sakura gave a sigh and grabbed her purse before standing from the table.<br>"I'm fine, Tomoyo, really."  
>Tomoyo shook her head solemnly. "I'll believe you for now. But if I catch you again, you have no more excuses!" she nudged Sakura and smiled sheepishly as they walked together towards the door. It really was a beautiful day and she didn't want to ruin it with her incessant nagging.<p>

"So when is your official move in date?" Tomoyo asked with a smirk as the two girls left the small cafe.  
>Sakura rolled her eyes. "The 1st of never. I'm leaving soon." She replied as nonchalantly as possible when really the very thought of her leaving made her feel down.<br>"How soon is soon? What did Syaoran say?"  
>Sakura looked thoughtful for a moment before answering.<br>"Well, I was supposed to leave tomorrow. I'll be all out of sick and vacation days by then but they granted me an extension until Wednesday."  
>Tomoyo nodded and waited for her to continue.<br>"I haven't even mentioned it to him yet though. To be honest, we've just been enjoying each other's company so we've never really talked about it." She smiled modestly. It was true, he hadn't asked her about her plans since she first arrived.

Tomoyo grinned, linking their arms together as they continued walking. She cycled through the spectrum of Sakura's emotions over the last couple of years and knew that this was the best she'd been in a long time. If there was a doubt in her mind that questioned whether or not the last few weeks were a good idea, the answer was in the genuine smile and sense of calmness that emanated from her best friend.  
>"Well I'm happy for you two. This year has been great so far! I still can't believe I'm getting married!" She exclaimed whimsically.<br>"I can't either! You and Eriol are crazy. I still feel like a little kid and you guys are trying to go off and make little kids!" Sakura joked.  
>"Oh yeah? Well I'm sure you and Syaoran attempted to make some kids last night!" Tomoyo accused. Sakura's cheeks flushed a vibrant red. "We did not! Tomoyo! I can't believe you'd say something like that!"<br>"What? You're married. It's normal." Tomoyo said with indifference.  
>Sakura walked further ahead in an attempt to hide her embarrassment, stopping to check her reflection in the window of a small ice cream shop.<br>Tomoyo caught up and laughed, "I'm only joking."  
>"Hmph! Well, you can buy me a cone to make it up to me!" Sakura grabbed Tomoyo's hand and pulled inside the small shop.<p>

They were greeted by the sweet, delicious aroma of waffle cones as they joined the line.  
>"I just love the smell of fresh waffles, don't you?" Sakura inhaled deeply.<br>Tomoyo ignored her question and asked one of her own, "I just love birthday parties. Are you ready for tonight?"  
>Sakura moved forward a place in line and admired the handy work of the employees as they poured batter into the waffle machines. "It just reminds me of Saturday's back home. Remember when we were younger and you would sleep over and we'd always wake up to the smell of my dad's homemade waffles?"<br>Tomoyo snapped her fingers, breaking Sakura from her reverie.  
>"You've been avoiding birthday party talk all day! Instead, you let me talk about home life with Eriol and mundane work crap all morning." She barked before composing herself once more.<br>"I promised you that tonight was going to be ok. Emi and all."  
>Sakura sighed almost miserably. "But what if it's not, Tomoyo? Maybe this was all just a big mistake. What if it turns out to be a catastrophe? If Emi is the same as before then I know she's going to be out to get me."<br>The girl at the register plastered a smile on her face as the girls approached and asked what she could get for them.  
>"Screw Emi!"Tomoyo shot at Sakura before turning to the waiting employee and ordering two cones in a tone that countered the one she'd just used. The smile on the employees face never faltered as they completed their transaction.<br>Finally off to the side to wait for their order, Sakura poked Tomoyo with a disapproving finger.  
>"Don't say that!" Before they could continue another employee brought the cones and the girls exited the shop.<p>

"I mean it, Sakura. She's not worth the trouble." Tomoyo impatiently pressed the walk button at the crosswalk.  
>"But can you blame her for hating me?" Sakura frowned. The walking signal came on and she skipped into pace with Tomoyo's swift movements. They reached the parking spot and Tomoyo fished for the keys in her purse.<br>"I don't mean to sound disrespectful but she can't blame you for what happened it was—"  
>"An accident, I know." Sakura finished the statement and Tomoyo unlocked the car.<br>"Exactly. So she has no reason to hate you. I won't let her bring you down anymore." Tomoyo took her place in the driver's seat and started the engine. The look on Sakura's face showed that she wasn't being very convincing.  
>"Look, we're here for you. Me, Eriol and Syaoran, we'll be there to make sure that things run smoothly. Just promise me you'll at least try to enjoy tonight." Sakura wasn't completely comforted by her words but they were sincere and she had to at least try.<p>

"Syaoran doesn't know about Emi yet." Sakura said, her attention focused to the world passing by on the other side of the window. "I mean, I want to tell him. I just don't want him to feel weird about the whole thing especially after we pretended not to know each other last night. We've finally made it to a good place." She sighed before continuing.  
>"I've finally gotten to the point where he's just Syaoran…not the guy that resembles Hiro." She paused again and continued to stare out of the window. Tomoyo listened quietly.<br>"Maybe I'll tell him as soon as we get home. It'll give him some time to process things before everyone arrives. Or…maybe I can wait just in case he doesn't react to it well"  
>Tomoyo nodded wordlessly in agreement to no choice in particular. She would have never thought of having this party if she knew it would be this complicated. She knew she couldn't hate Emi for how she'd treated Sakura, especially after everything that she'd had to endure with her family after Hiro's passing. But maybe this was the only chance to put everything behind them. Once and for all.<br>"This is confusing." Sakura took a bite from her the waffle cone and sighed with content.  
>"But you know what makes it all ok? Having you to sort it all out with me."<br>The raven haired girl broke from her thoughts and beamed. If it was one thing that she knew would never change. It was Sakura's optimism.

But her grin slowly faded and she hoped that Sakura's optimism was stronger than ever as they made the turn into the parking lot of Syaoran's apartment complex. A crowd stood just at the base of the stairs to Syaoran's place. She glanced over to see Sakura in a similar state of surprise and pulled into a parking spot away from everyone.  
>"Why are they here so early?" Sakura whispered almost frantically. It was only 2:30, the party wasn't due to start until 6.<br>Tomoyo shrugged, "Maybe they wanted to help out? I don't know!"  
>A car horn sounded as Syaoran and Eriol pulled into a spot a few spaces away.<br>"Well at least the boys are back. I guess we could just start earlier than planned." Tomoyo added.  
>Syaoran exited the car and waved to the group before walking to greet the girls.<br>"Which means it will all be over in no time!" She gave a knowing smile to Sakura who reluctantly agreed and exited the car.

"How was girl time?" Eriol asked, wrapping his arm around his fiancé and placing a kiss on her forehead.  
>She smiled and leaned into him. "It was great actually! How about your errands?" she directed her question towards Syaoran.<br>"Mission Complete." He said proudly as Sakura joined them on the other side of the car.  
>She looked at him quizzically, "What mission?"<br>Syaoran grabbed her hand and gave it a comforting squeeze. "Don't worry about it."  
>"Syaoran! Hurry up!" A squeal sounded from one of the sisters.<br>Eriol grabbed Syaoran's keys from his other hand. "We'll go take care of that." he suggested and he and Tomoyo made their way over. Still holding onto her hand, Syaoran pulled Sakura around to far side of Eriol's car, out of view from the others. He gently tilted her chin and smiled softly, "Seriously," he said quietly. "Don't worry about anything at all."  
>Sakura was mesmerized by the honesty in his gaze. His hands came to rest on her shoulder and he placed a kiss on her forehead, letting his lips linger for a brief moment. She took in his presence and relaxed her shoulders. "I won't." She exhaled deeply and wrapped her arms around his chest pulling him closer as his arms settled around her. His beating heart soothed her. If she was being honest, this was all she really wanted for her birthday.<p>

There was another excited squeal from one of his sisters. Or was it annoyance? It didn't matter to him. What did matter was how he was going to control his desire to never let go of the girl he held so close to him now. How to silence the pounding inside of his chest, how to keep his breathing steady so he wouldn't faint from the euphoria that she brought him. Their serenity ended and he securely laced his fingers through hers, hoping his grip would reassure her that with him, things would always be ok. As if reading his thoughts she smiled and nodded with affirmation.  
>Sakura unwillingly removed her hand from his as he made a move to head over to the group.<br>"Just your coworker, remember?" she said with the slightest frown.  
>Syaoran hung his head, recalling the lie he'd told their sisters. "Right. Good catch!" He shoved his hands in his pocket and trudge along next to her. Sakura giggled at his change in demeanor. "You're adorable when you sulk." She whispered furtively, giving his shoulder a quick pat before putting a few more inches of space between them.<p>

The sisters were the first to approach with a happy birthday greeting said in unison. They forcefully placed themselves between Sakura and Syaoran as they enveloped her in a group hug. Sakura laughed childishly at their excessive show of affection. Although they'd only met last night she couldn't help but feel a warmth coming from these girls. The sisters finally released their grip on her only to devour Syaoran in a very similar fashion. He attempted but failed to escape as he climbed the stairs to his apartment.  
>"I hope you don't mind that we came early. They really wanted to help set up." FeiMei said apologetically, motioning to the 3 girls that pulled at tugged at their brother. Sakura shook her head and smiled.<br>"It's perfectly fine. I mean, it's your brother's apartment after all! He's just doing something nice for a_ friend_." She placed emphasis on the last part of her statement.  
>"Of course. But I mean, he <em>did<em> give you a key." FeiMei said teasingly under her breath.  
>Sakura's cheeks burned. "It's not mine! It's a spare. For guests!"<br>"Whatever you want to believe, little sis." The youngest Li sister smirked and quickly excused herself to join her siblings.  
>"Little sis? Sounds like things are getting serious." A voice behind her said mockingly. Sakura's anxiety rose and she tried her best to mask it with an amused smile as she turned to face Emi.<br>"I'm so sad we missed the wedding!" She finished. The smile on her face was nothing short of a façade.  
>"Emi!" Meiling interjected nudging the blonde with her elbow.<br>Emi rubbed her side and scowled, "I was only joking! I'm allowed to do that on April fool's day, right?"  
>Meiling sighed and covered her embarrassment with a hand over her eyes.<br>"Please forgive her. Emi knows that you've been staying here. Don't worry she's sworn to keep the secret from his sisters too." Emi pulled an imaginary zipper across her lips with a wink as Meiling continued her apology. "What she really meant to say was…I mean what we both wanted to say was happy birthday and thank you for having us at the party." Meiling cringed through her smile at how messy her words were. Sakura took note of this and tried her best to mask her own nerves.  
>"No worries. I'm really glad that you could make it!" Her smile was also strained. The idea of Emi keeping one of her secrets scared her.<p>

"Meiling!" Tomoyo appeared at Sakura's side as if sensing her friend's discomfort.  
>"It's great to see you again. And this is…?" she turned to face Emi whose lips twitched into an uneven smile as she held out her hand, "Emi."<br>Tomoyo firmly shook the girl's hand, never breaking eye contact.  
>"We went to school together and reconnected recently. Emi this is Tomoyo, Sakura's cousin." Meiling added.<br>"And Eriol's fiancé" Sakura chimed in, hoping to avert some of the attention.  
>Meiling slapped her palm to her head, "How could I forget? Congratulations!"<br>Tomoyo smiled thankfully, "Ah, thank you but I don't want to take away from Sakura's day!" she gave her cousin a side hug.  
>"Now if you'd excuse us, Sakura and I have some prepping to get done. It was a pleasure meeting you, Emi." Tomoyo said over her shoulder, leading Sakura up the stairs and into the apartment.<br>"Likewise." Emi muttered under her breath, her eyes no longer soft but fierce. Meiling watched her with interest, taking notice to her stark manner. But whatever she'd thought she'd seen was gone in a flash as Emi turned to Meiling and clapped her hands together, the softness returning. "Well! Let's get this party started!" She exclaimed grabbing Meiling's hand and pulling her towards the stairs.  
>"What?" Emi asked, feeling Meiling's watchful eyes. Even if they'd spent some time apart from each other, she knew well enough when Emi was up to something. As swift as it was earlier, she was certain that she'd seen a devilish look her eye. Emi heaved a sigh, pausing at the bottom of the steps.<p>

"Look, it's just been a while since I've been around people other than Tokato and his friends. I'm sorry if my social skills are a little rusty." She took Meiling's hands in her own, her expression was almost empathetic.  
>"I also know that this can't be easy for you but give me a break! You've become so mushy. I just wanted to spice things up a bit like we used to. I don't know if I can get used to this new Meiling." Emi's words seemed harsh but rang true.<br>"Look, I knew you loved Syaoran after the 3rd time you complained to me that you couldn't stand his 'messy brown hair and his stupid smirk'. Ryo always thought that you were interested in him but didn't want to seem like the jealous boyfriend."  
>Meiling pulled herself away and crossed them defensively at the mention of her ex-boyfriends name and at the thought of her unrequited feelings. She knew that Emi was right. Back then she wouldn't admit it, especially while she was with Ryo, but she'd loved everything about the boy who pushed her buttons. After they'd become better friends, she'd found his company more enjoyable than Ryo's. She'd always known that her relationship with Ryo had changed once she became closer to Syaoran. She even knew that it was probably the main reason why Ryo strayed. Yes, his infidelity had hurt her but it also gave her more guilt free opportunities to spend with Syaoran. Although he'd never openly said he'd felt romantically about her she knew that if she tried hard enough, if she stayed around long enough maybe something would happen. He could be a little slow sometimes when it came to girls but she'd never given up. Things were finally falling into place just a few weeks ago.<p>

Meiling felt a bubbling inside her that she could only equate to jealousy or anger but it was quelled just as quickly as she remembered the promise she'd made to herself the night before. She had to be strong. If he was happy, then she'd have to be ok with that.  
>She let out a long exhale, "I know, Emi. But things are different now and I've accepted that. I know I've change a lot but I'll be ok. Just help me make it through today, alright? Then we can go back to my place and eat a pint of ice cream, blast tasteless breakup songs and scribble down all of the reasons why I'm too good for him."<br>She put on her best smile as she referenced the tradition they had during their freshman year of college whenever she and Ryo would argue. The only difference being that this time she wouldn't be writing a follow up list of all the reasons why they were meant to be together. If she wanted to be in Syaoran's life at all, she had to let these feelings go.  
>Emi rolled her eyes and continued up the stairs. "Whatever you say, Mei. Let's just try to have some fun and enjoy the rest of today. It sure is beautiful." She nodded towards the sky.<br>Meiling looked up at the sky. It was a bright shade of blue, speckled with a few harmless clouds. If the day was bright, then who was she to bring in her stormy emotions? She thought to herself.  
>"Maybe you're right. It's Sakura's Birthday and she deserves to have a good time."<br>She followed Emi up the stairs, her mind continuing the 'maybe game'. Maybe she'd been wrong about what she'd seen earlier. Maybe the mischievous girl she knew before had truly vanished and she was a better person now. She didn't like to think of Emi as a bad person but there were plenty of times when her way of thinking was questionable and her actions morally unorthodox.  
>Emi stopped just outside the door and looked back at Meiling with an impish grin.<br>"I _totally_ agree. So let's show her a good time." And in a swift motion, she pulled open the door and entered the apartment. Emi's response left an unsettling feeling. Her definition of "a good time" was sometimes one of those morally unorthodox actions. Meiling caught the door before it closed and watched her friend melt comfortably into the kitchen where Eriol, Tomoyo and Syaoran's sisters conversed cheerfully. Maybe she was over thinking things. She let the door close behind her causing the group to turn briefly in her direction. She locked eyes with Emi who gave her a playful wink and the gut feeling returned. Maybe it was just nerves but she couldn't stop the turbulent feeling inside that something wasn't right. That maybe all it took was just one cloud to bring the rain.

* * *

><p><strong>I hope the format came out ok and it's def. not as long as the last few chapters. I'm definitely rusty. I wanted to add more but then it would've taken too much from the next chapter so I hope that was enough for now! After re-reading this story, I was kinda like "o_O" a some parts…but then I remembered my emotions and state of mind at that time when I wrote certain chapters and whirlwind romances and other interesting plot twists made so much more sense to me. I love this story though and I can't wait to finish it! 'til next time!<strong>

**Thoughts, comments, concerns are always appreciated!**

Always

Synea K.


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